FACTSHEET FIVE #42
FACTSHEET FIVE is copyright © 1991 by Michael A. Gunderloy
and Can Goldberg. You may freely reprint any of the contents of
FACTSHEET FIVE, with or without permission, with or without
credit, except for the following:
"Fishing Hole" is copyright © 1991 by Joe Lane.
"Oka Golf Course: Opening Ceremonies" is copyright © 1991 by
Misha.
All artwork is copyright © 1991 by the respective artists and
may not be reprinted without permission.
ISSN 0890-6823
This magazine was set in Palatino seven, eight and nine point,
with twelve, eighteen and twenty-four point Palatino heads, on a
Hewlett Packard LaserJet Series II printer, from files produced using
Sprint and formatted with Xerox Ventura Publisher version 2.0
enhanced with Soft Kicker, and printed on a Web Leader press with
Quadra-Color at World Printing, Albany, New York. Production
computers include a 16 MHz Zeos 386SX, a 12 MHz Zeos 286, a
Leading Edge Model D and a Tandy WP-2 Portable. For software I
wouldn't be without 4DOS 3.0, Swapdos 1.00, GRABPlus, and Super
PC-KWIK 1.54. I'm running Windows 3.0 these days, but I'm not
all that thrilled with it. If you want to know more than this, phone
me, so I can stop boring other people, OK?
Thanks to 3rd Millenium, Dr. Agon, Liz Camps, Ed Gildea, Molly
Gill, Robert Kirby and Susan from NOCTURNAL LYRIC for their
generous donations towards publishing this issue. Special thanks to
those behind bars who send money; I realize that $2 for you is like
$200 for many people (3 days wages).
Thanks to Herb Ashe, Ace Backwords, Olgierd Bochenski, Noah
Bunnett, Donald Busky, Peter C., Chris Carr, Jeff Copenhagen, James
Noel Dawson, V. Diamond, Yael Dragwyla, Gene Guthrie, Joy
Hibbert, Identity By Mail, Mike James, Roger Knights, Steve Marsh,
A. Martin, Mauro Missana, Brad Mitchell, Raoul, Henry Schneider,
Thomas H. Slone and Cheryl Townsend for sending new and
unknown zines for us to review in this issue. As usual we didn't
get to reviewing much of this material, but we are making good
contacts these ways.
Founderer Emeritus
St. Michael D. Miller, retd.
Spiritual Advisor
St. Stephen Xavier of Trever
Editorial Collective
Cari Goldberg Janice
Mike Gunderloy
Filing Assistance
Robin Somerill
Visual Arts Critic
Anni Ackner (currently on location in Bohemia)
Special Guest Reviewers
James Barnett
Tim Gatewood
Will Newbill
BBS Goddess
Angela Gunn
Utility Infielder
Geof Huth
Fisherman
Joe Lane
Aural Arts Critics
Karin Falcone
Tom Gogola
Bob Lukomski
Bill Meckley
Carol Schutzbank
Kyle Silfer
Robin Somerill
Dina Williams
Dan Wrzesinski
Phil Zampino
Experioddica Consultant
Bob Grumman
Net Worker
Mark Bloch
Blood & Guts Consultant
Kurt Lemming
Staph Trickster
Misha
Videonetworker
Belka Stamas
Official Conspirator
Kerry W. Thomley, KSC
Aural Editor Emeritus
Shane Williams
Contributing Artists (and page numbers)
Ace Backwords (34, 89)
Sheryl Birkhead (42)
Joel Brick (77)
Derek Cerouski (1)
Rose Dore (15)
Joe E. & Carrie (63)
John Eberly (51)
Mark Fearing (125)
R.M. Goodman (24, 100)
Jim Groat (36)
Sister Mary Ann Henn (12, 90)
Wayne Henderson (57, 94, 96)
Wayne Hogan (28, 81, 88)
Alan Holt (61)
David Lee Ingersoll (14, 21, 72, 82)
Robert Kirby (107)
Jakob Klemencic (129)
Jim Koehnline (104)
Tuli Kupferberg (3, 110)
Andrew Lehman (65)
Kurt Lemming (16, 66)
Nick Martin (59)
Mezmer (95)
Mona (105) _
Howard Musick (14, 56)
Lawrence Oberc (45, 85)
PaM (2)
A.C. Peare (22)
Walt Phillips (6)
Rod & Carrie (4)
Andrew Roller (19)
Judy Rosenblatt (31)
Roxxica (18)
Jason Sadofsky (87)
Stampmeister Kevin (69) *
Devlin Thompson (67, 119)
Matt Towler (84)
Kate Tremblay (15)
Lynne Alisse Witten (79)
Front Cover by
Matt Towler
Moral Support & General Assistance
Carolyn MacDonald
Karl Janice
Art Director
Cari Goldberg
Endless Mailing Label Work
Bartlett Ridge
Official Driver
Gay Kendall
New Age Researcher
Remy Chevalier
Loonie-Tune Researcher
Bag of Water
Cleaning By
The Friendly Janitors, Inc.
Approved by
Eighteenth Century Communications, Ltd.
Next Deadline:
May 30, 1991
Please note: We do not review material which arrives by expedited
delivery (Express Mail, Federal Express, etc.) during the week of
the deadline.
highlighted. This time: ADULT VIDEO NEWS ,
THE ANIMAL'S AGENDA , CONCERTINA &
SQUEEZEBOX , GAUNTLET , MILK &
CHEESE , MURDER CAN BE FUN
Zine Reviews 16
This is where to look for periodicals, unless they
are oriented primarily to music, comics or
poetry—for which see the next three sections.
Music Zine Reviews 57
Comics Reviews 66
On the Electronic Frontier 74
Computer Bulletin Board and Software reviews
for your edification.
Poetry Reviews 77
Both poetry zines and chapbooks will be found
in this section.
One-Shot Reviews 82
Reviews of pamphlets, booklets, leaflets and
other non-periodical items which are not perfect
bound or hardcover.
Video Reviews 87
NTSC Cyberbeat 88
Ted Stamas regales us with excerpts from his
phone conversations about cutting-edge video
work.
The Fishing Hole 89
Joe Lane talks about organizing a small press
staff.
Experioddica 91
Bob Grumman explores the world of visual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About your mailing label 2
Besides telling you when your subscription runs out, this section
explains the various ways you can get FACTSHEET FIVE, and
contains sundry other useful bits of information.
Subscription Rates 2
Columnist and Artist Addresses 3
FACTSHEET FIVE Projects 3
News of books you can buy from us, sales of our mailing list
(and how to avoid getting your name sold), the FF index and
t-shirts, and ways you can get pounds of zines for only the cost
of postage.
Getting Zines 4
If you're new to the world of zines, please take a few moments
to read this advice on ordering copies.
Those Funny Numbers 5
How to read the pagecount code at the end of each review.
Advertising Rates 5
Why not consider Factsheet Five for your next adveritising
campaign?
Coming Deadlines 5
Changes of Address 6
Lost Addresses 6
Do you know where any of these people have gone?
Dead Zines 6
Alas, another list of people who have recently ceased publishing.
Errata 6
Yes, we make mistakes. Here's a list of the ones from last issue.
Hall of Shame 7
T-Shirt Reviews 7
Artifact Reviews 7
Artifacts are things that have a presence beyond being carriers
of print—buttons, stickers, armbands, Moebius strips and other
goodies.
Games 9
Important Events 10
Mail Art Contacts 11
Miscellaneous News 12
Noted but not seen 13
Zines which sent us advertising instead of copies.
Editorial 14
In which the Co-Editors talk to the reader about marriage, tapes,
the electronic frontier and other good stuff.
Publishers' Choice 15
In which a few exciting zines from the past two months are
poetry.
Why Publish?
In which several publishers answer this curious questjon.
Conspiracy Comer
Kerry Thomley discusses the recent war in the Gulf.
Oka Golf Course: Opening Ceremonies
A short story by Misha with an illustration by Mezmer
Audio Reviews
If it's on record, tape or CD, this is where to find it.
Spoken Word
Audio reviews of more textual works.
Book Reviews
Letters
The readers talk back.
Classified Ads
93 ‘
94
95
96
122
125
129
131
Welcome to another issue of the zine of crosscurrents and
cross-pollination. Available by mail or in person from Mike
Gunderloy, 6 Arizona Ave., Rensselaer, NY 12144-4502; phone
(518)-479-3707 (24-hour answering machine, so call anytime);
300/1200/2400 baud phone (518)-479-3879 (call anytime you have a
computer handy); RelayNet Sysop at node ALBANY. CompuServe
address is 72271,275; from InterNet, you can get there by addressing
mail to 72271.275@compuserve.com. On The Well, I'm ffmike; the
Netmail address for this is ffmike@well.sf.ca.us. This is Pretzel Press
publication #860 and is intended for direct Bulk Mailing to subscribers
and good people across the country, around the world, and right
into your face. Press run: 9100 copies. 42nd issue. May 1991.
FACTSHEET FIVE is published eight times a year, appearing at
roughly seven-week intervals. Deadlines for FACTSHEET FIVE are
printed in the Explanatory Matter section of this zine. Our production
schedule is very tight; missing the deadline by even one day almost
always guarantees that your work will wait for the next issue.
Back issues of FACTSHEET FIVE are available as
#1,2,3,4,17.1
#18,20-33
#5-17, 34-39
#40-41
#19
Complete set
A glossary pf unusual terms used in FF is available
self-addressed envelope.
Guidelines for artists are available for a stamped.
follows:
$1 each
$2 each
$3 each
$3.50 each
$5 each
$100
for a stamped,
self-addressed
envelope.
2
Explanatory Matter
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
YOUR MAILING LABEL
This is where we explain the mailing code, on the far right of
the first line of the address label.
A number indicates the last issue that you'll be getting. So if
the number is "42", you need to Do Something if you want to keep
getting FF. If the number is // 42 ,/ and you don't even know why
you got this, you probably have a Secret Admirer or something.
Wanna subscribe?
There are a couple of things that can flank this number. If it's
flanked with asterisks (*42*), you've paid for, and should be getting,
first class postage. If it's flanked with carets ( A 42 A ), then this is a
trade copy for which you paid first-class postage, after which you
will revert to bulk-mail trade copies. If it's flanked with plus signs
(+42+) you're getting a library subscription, including first-class
postage, mailing envelopes, and the index.
"!" indicates that you've got nothing to worry about, because
you're on the staph, you won a contest, or you just got lucky.
"A" means that you're getting this because of your artwork;
either you sent us some or we want you to send us some, or both.
"B" means we're trading for a book you sent.
"D" means that you're a distributor and so you get one copy
for yourself as a freebie. We're always looking for new distributors,
people who can sell at least ten copies and want to split the proceeds.
Distributors get a 40-50% wholesale discount on all copies, and may
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I think I'm sending you. For more information on terms, send an
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If you want extra goodies, you should be a supporting subscriber
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"M" means you sent us music to review. We will continue to
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"P" means you're a prisoner. FACTSHEET FIVE is always free
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Wardens, you gotta pay like anyone else. Prisoners in mental
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copy. It is for you to have to check the review we've done of your
zine, or to be able to do a review of FACTSHEET FIVE. We would
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whether you write reviews or not. If you publish infrequently, we
expect at least a note every six months to keep you on the mailing
list.
"R?" means that we'd like you to consider sending copies of
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"S" means that you are a Supporting Subscriber, and therefore
exempt from nonsense. Supporting subscribers get their issues sent
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FACTSHEET FIVE publications as they're issued—most recently,
with #42, Merritt Clifton's THE SAMISDAT METHOD book.
"V" means you sent us a videotape to review. If you require
the tape to be returned, one video is good for one issue in trade;
if you leave it with us for the archives, one video is worth four
issues.
Any of the above followed by a number (like "M/42") indicate
the issue you'll have to renegotiate to keep getting FF. You must
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mailing code, to continue getting FF! This applies to prisoners, artists,
traders, everyone!
Send us your zine, drop me a line, do SOMETHING so we
know you're still out there. Actually, this doesn't apply to subscribers,
only to people getting the zine for free. Clear?
Please take a moment to check your mailing label. If there are
any mistakes, you have to let us know. They won't fix themselves.
And you won't get any further warning if your subscription has
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And remember, FF is sent bulk mail. Not only does this make it
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copies go to that Big Post Office In The Sky. So PLEASE get your
COAs to me promptly to avoid missing issues. We are not responsible
for copies lost due to unannounced moves. Please allow at least
four weeks for delivery.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Regular bulk rate subscription (U.S. only): $3.50 per issue up
to seven issues, $23 for an eight issue (one year) subscription.
Surface Mail subscription (outside U.S. only): $4 or 10 IRCs
per issue up to seven issues, $27 or 68 IRCs for an eight issue
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First class subscription (U.S. only): $5.00 per issue up to seven
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Library subscription (includes the index and first class mailing
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This price includes the contents of the Ventura Publisher .TXT
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We accept for payment cash (U.S. or otherwise), check or money
order drawn in U.S. funds (please make payable to FACTSHEET
FIVE), or international reply coupons. Please note that we cannot
accept checks or money orders drawn in foreign currency. I am,
however, happy to accept cash (bank notes) from any country at
the official rate of exchange. If you live in a country whose currency
does not convert, please write and we'll work out a deal. Those in
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FF now takes MasterCard and Visa! (Awesome, isn't it?) For
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By mail, be sure to send your card type (MasterCard or Visa),
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FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Explanatory Matter
3
Bulk Mail subscription to First Gass delivery at any time by sending
$1.50 for each issue remaining on your Bulk Mail subscription.
Publishers and others who get their issues without paying may have
them delivered first class for $1.50 per issue. This rate is only valid
if you would have received that issue anyhow.
If you want FF sent to a friend, just send their address and
$3.50, or $5.00 if you're in a hurry. FF makes a great Christmas,
birthday, or Bar Mitzvah present. We'll mark it as a gift from you
unless you specify otherwise.
In lieu of sending stamps, money, fanzines, artwork, books, or
music, you can get FF by sending us something to review that we
haven't seen before, or by bartering canned goods, negotiable
securities, wind-up sushi, shark's teeth. Magic Rocks, limited edition
wallpaper, or other interesting or amusing flotsam from our society.
Addresses for FF Columnists:
Anni Ackner, 249 N. 5th St., Reading, PA 19601.
Bob Grumman, 1708 Hayworth Rd., Port Charlotte, FL 33952.
Joe Lane, PO Box 4183, Terre Haute, IN 47804-4183
Ted Stamas, 1218 S. 11th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Kerry Thomley, PO Box 5498, Atlanta, GA 30307
Addresses for FF artists:
Ace Backwords, 1630 University Ave. #26, Berkeley, CA 94703.
Sheryl Birkhead, 23629 Woodfield Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20882.
William Dockery, 2108 15th Ave., Phenix City, AL 36867.
Bill Geiger, 9th Floor, 1300 Beaubien, Detroit, MI 48226.
Teddy Harvia, PO Box 905, Euless, TX 76039.
David Lee Ingersoll, PO Box 15082, Santa Rosa, CA 95402.
Michael P. Kelly #493005, Clements Unit, 9601 NE 24th St.,
Amarillo, TX 79107.
Tuli Kupferberg, 160-6 Ave., New York, NY 10013.
Andrew Lehman, 2215 W. Montrose, Chicago, IL 60618.
Kurt Lemming, PO Box 6248, Albany, NY 12206-0248
Joe Lintner, PO Box 599, Columbia, PA 17512—send an SASE
for a sample flyer showing some of his work.
Gene Mahoney, "Good Gean Fun", 2554 Lincoln Blvd. #4159,
Venice, CA 90291—samples to editors for SASE.
Matt Towler, 277 Lake Ave., Worcester, MA 01604-1101.
Harry Walker Jr., 167-363 PO Box 56, Lebanon, OH 45036.
Shannon Wheeler, 1610 W. 11th, Austin, TX 78703.
Blair Wilson, 4908 University View Place NE, Seattle, WA 98105.
(ARTISTS! If you want to be listed here, please drop us a line).
FACTSHEET FIVE PROJECTS
•THE SAMISDAT METHOD is Merritt Gifton's book on doing
your own offset printing, at home, for as little money as possible.
It garnered rave reviews in the first three editions, and now
FACTSHEET FIVE is proud to be bringing out the fourth edition.
This 112-page operfect-bound book can be yours, shipping included,
for the cover price of $10.00 if you act now.
•The first FACTSHEET FIVE compilation tape is out! Subtitled
"Music For The Perplexed", it's meant as an introduction to new
music for our readers, whether you're familiar with the field or not.
On the tape you'll hear: Sirens Call, Eric Hausmann, Raymond Bally,
Lab Rat, The Atomics, Bern Nix, Sam Black Church, Arms of
Someone New, Arson Garden, The Easygoings, Changes to Blind,
and Mental Anguish; a pretty good line-up, we think. With liner
notes from Ray Bally and art by Joey Shea, the tape can be yours
for only $6.95 postpaid. Try it, you'll like it.
•STALKING THE WILD READER IN RIVER CITY is a 56-page
account of the small press over the last couple of decades in Terre
Haute, Indiana, written by our Fishing Hole columnist Joe Lane.
The cover price is $5, but you can get a copy postpaid for $4
because you're smart enough to read about it here.
•A couple of things which used to be FF projects are now being
handled by other people. The Gemstone File, that medley of modern
conspiracy theory running over 100 pages, is available for $12.50
from Ron Bonds, IllumiNet Press, PO Box 746, Avondale, GA 30002.
Ron will give you 5* per page credit for new conspiracy material
you send him in trade. And Martti Koski's pamphlet MY LIFE
DEPENDS ON YOU, telling of his own experiences with mind
control at the hands of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, may
be ordered for $1 from Scott Tinch, 453 Robertsville Rd., Oak Ridge,
TN 39830.
•We have available for other publishers a list of distributors and
stores who would like to see new zines for possible sale. This
includes all the folks who sell FF, whether directly or to stores, and
with as many details as possible on what they want and what their
terms are as I know. Send us an SASE (be sure to tell me what
it's for!) and we'll send you a copy.
•The collected WHY PUBLISH? book, including most of the
words published on this subject in the first 30 issues of FF, as well
as new material from Miekal And, Joel Biroco, Stewart Brand and
Merritt Gifton, is now available for only $3.50 postpaid. Don't miss
this; there were only 500 printed and we probably won't do any
more.
•If you like Anni Ackneris columns you'll love her book. The
collection is called NOBODY LOVES A VISUAL ARTS CRITIC, and
it features all of her writings from FF, as well as four new columns
(unavailable elsewhere), an introduction by Elayne Wechsler and
graphics by Freddie Baer. 134 pages long, you can get a copy book
rate for $4, or first class for $5.50. 75% of the profits are going to
Anni, so we'd really like to sell a lot of these. Think what they'll
be worth in twenty years when she's a wealthy mainstream author.
•FACTSHEET FIVE T-Shirts, designed by Freddie Baer, are now
available for a measley $10.00 postpaid. The new shirts are white
ink on a black heavy-duty all-cotton shirt. Specify size or we'll send
you whatever we feel like. Think of the possibilities for starting a
conversation! (XXL available for $2 extra; inquire about even larger
sizes). , .
•There's another new set of FF ads available, camera-ready for
anyone who wants to run them. In the future we may swap or pay
for some of these to be published, but meanwhile if you want to
give us a free plug write and we'll send you a copy.
•We're maintaining a list of electronic mail addresses for people
involved in fanzines. Since this is rather pointless if you don't have
a computer, I'm not offering paper copies. You can download the
latest version from the FF BBS (518-479-3879) which is also a good
place to leave me mail if you'd like to be added to the list. The
list is also available on the WELL, where I am ffmike, from the f5
conference menu.
•The FF ZINE EXCHANGE is still running, although it remains,
as always, a low priority compared to actually publishing the
magazine. Zine Editors: If you're at all interested in having samples
of your zine go to people who don't even know you exist, send
as many as you want to us to distribute. The rest of you: Send us
an SASE with 29* to $2.90 postage and we'll stuff it with whatever
we have laying about ($2.90 is enough to mail a couple of pounds
in the country, so use a decent-sized envelope [10x13 is a good
size]: two pounds is about 8 issues of FF, OK?). You should also
take a look at a rate chart; while $2.41 will cover postage on two
pounds, $2.80 is only enough for eleven ounces. I'd recommend
springing for the full two pounds. You might also take note of some
similar offers:
Lucinda Goodwin's (PO Box 127224, San Diego, CA 92112) offer
4
Explanatory Matter
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
to stuff large SASEs with "as many zines and other neat stuff that
it can hold."
Gene Guthrie's (6221 Acton Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46259) offer to
send local freebies to anyone who sends him a package of exchange
stuff in return, or just a batch of loose postage;
Plaster Cramp Press's offer to fill up SASEs of any size with
freebies, flyers, old zines and other stuft.
The "Small Press Food Shelf" is run by the POETRY HARBOR
folks in Duluth (1619 Jefferson St., Duluth, MN 55812); they give
stuff away in person and now also by mail. They'd be delighted to
have your excess literary output to distribute;
Sparrow's (322 E. 11th St. #23, New York, NY 10003) offer to
send "original handwritten manuscripts, full of unique stories, essays,
poems, et al, by me, for the price of postage";
Dallas Swan's (PO Box 270, Homtown, VA 23395) offer to fill
up large SASEs with as many zines as they will hold;
Jim Testa's (151 First Ave., Box A., New York, NY 10003) Demo
Xchange of band demo tapes, also available for a few dollars postage;
R. Whereveris (11 Bayberry Ln., Cohasset, MA 02025) offer to
fill up large SASEs with as many zines as they will hold.
and Rosemary West's (PO Box 8059, Mission Hills, CA 91346)
offer of personalized computer-generated poetry for 75* an ounce,
up to five pounds—send your name and the names of a few friends
to assure personalization.
Anyhow, remember, send a SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED EN¬
VELOPE to minimize the work we have to do. We mean it. The
next person who sends a blank envelope and a check, instead of
buying the stamps himself and pasting them on, is going to get
something nasty in the mail. If he gets anything at all. OK, OK,
we'll make an exception for those of you in foreign countries: just
send me a check or cash and a self-addressed envelope and we'll
do the rest. Those out of the country can supply up to $4.50 worth
of postage, since the rates are higher. Those in the country should
stop using such obviously glued stamps or I'm going to start pitching
your envelopes in the trash. This has already happened to some people
stupid enough to ignore what I've said! Use mint stamps only!! (Look,
it's OK to glue down un-used stamps; what we're upset about is
people putting the glue over the top of them so they can be re-used.
If this doesn't make sense to you, call and ask). And please be
patient; Zine Exchange envelopes are filled on a fust-come,
first-served basis. The backlog of orders waiting to be filled has
been reduced considerably in the last few months, but there's still
something like a 2-month line ahead of you.
A few clarifications about the Zine Exchange: No, we am not
going to send you any back issues of FACTSHEET FIVE. No, you
may not request a specific zine you saw reviewed here; that copy
is in the archives, and that's where it's staying. You can request a
specific type of zine, but often we cannot fill requests; it depends
on what's been sent to us recently for distribution.
•We put together an index to each issue, usually about a 24-page
pamphlet. If you want to see a copy, sencf $1.50. To get it every
issue, you should sign up for a library rate subscription.
•HOW TO PUBLISH A FANZINE is, alas, out of print. If you
don't have a copy, you'll have to wait for the next edition, scheduled
for early 1991. We will be making arrangements for a discount for
those who already own the first edition.
GETTING ZINES
Just a few hints to consider when you're writing away for fanzines:
•If we list a name in the address for a zine, you ought to make
checks or money orders out to that name rather than the zine name.
If a zine has odd payment requirements, we try to note this in the
address section of the listing. In general, cash is preferable to money
orders which are preferable to checks. But if you send cash, wrap
it carefully, and don't send coins!
•On a related topic, when we put a question mark after the
price it means that we're guessing because the zine editors didn't
list a price.
•We list single copy rates whenever we can find them, otherwise
we try to indicate how many issues your subscription covers. If we
put something like "$10/yr" it means we can't tell how many issues
come out in a year.
•If we separate issue numbers with a dash, they're single issues;
a slash indicates two-in-one issues. So, for example, "#7-11/12"
indicates that we received #7, a double issue containing #11 and
#12, and everything in between. Prices given are for one issue, not
for a set of all the issues reviewed, unless otherwise indicated.
•On zines with a price under $1, it really helps to include a few
stamps for postage. "SASE" means self-addressed stamped envelope:
#10 with 25* postage unless otherwise specified.
•Don't send loose coins in an envelope. If you want to send
coins, tape them to an index card and wrap a piece of paper around
that. And remember that there's a postal surcharge on envelopes
more than 1/4 inch thick.
•Canadians and some Britishers generally don't mind receiving
U.S. funds in cash. For Canada it is generally safe to send US$1
for each C$1 in price; the exchange rate is high enough to cover
postage. For Great Britain, US$2 for each £1 asking price similarly
allows for postage even after covering the exchange. For other
countries you should think about alternative payment. Foreign
currency is available at larger banks, and IRCs (International Reply
Coupons, which can be exchanged for stamps almost anywhere in
the world) at your post office. Foreign MOs are also available from
the post office, but can take forever to get. Sending checks to other
countries is not a good idea; bank exchange charges can be
outrageous.
•"Age Statement" means that you should send along a signed
note saying that you're over 18 (or over 21, if you are) to help the
publisher avoid legal hassles associated with distributing sexually-
explicit material. In fact, it's a good idea to include an age statement
for any zine that might contain blunt writing or explicit pictures,
whether we mention it in the review or not.
•OPENQUOTEThe Usual" refers to the traditional method of
obtaining SF fanzines without sullying oneself with cash. Generally
this includes trading other zines, writing Iocs, contributing articles
or art, or being recipient of a whim. These days $1 is often accepted
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Explanatory Matter
5
as the equivalent to these more active approaches.
•We'd appreciate it if you'd mention FACTSHEET FIVE when
ordering zines you saw reviewed here. It helps us all in the long
run, as the more credibility we build up the more fine zines we'll
be able to bring to your attention.
•If you have any problems with a zine please let us know. We'll
be happy to contact publishers in cases of non-receipt. 99% of the
time it's just a case of things being lost in the mail. If you are
writing to complain, it is imperative to include all the details: what
you ordered, when, what form of payment and how much you
sent, as well as what you've done to follow up yourself.
•If you have time, any zine publisher enjoys hearing comments
on the zine he has sent you. This is especially true if you didn't
like it; we all like to improve. Even 3 simple note of thanks can
make a publisher's day, though.
•Many zine publishers print small quantities, so you may not be
able to get the exact issue that I reviewed. If you must have that
particular issue, say so, and be prepared to pay extra. Otherwise
it's best just to request the most recent or the next issue and save
trouble for everyone. And be patient; if the current issue is all gone,
it may take a while.
•And since it may take a while, the envelope your order came
in may get lost. Make sure your address is on the letter itself!
Otherwise you may not get your copy despite the best intentions
of the publisher.
•Most zine publishers are willing to exchange their zines for
others, so we generally don't mention this in listings unless I know
they don't swap. But use some discretion—a 150-page typeset music
publication is unlikely to swap with a 4-page xeroxed newsletter on
Central American farming. And remember, publishers are under no
obligation to respond to unsolicited zines, so if you can't afford to
give away the copy, don't send it. .
•When an advertiser or publication indicates a price of, for
example, 0 2°° or o5°°, you should send that many Federal Reserve
Notes ("dollar bills") in cash. Many people would say $2 or $5, but
there are those who draw a strong distinction between authentic
dollars and the evidence of the US debt issued by the Federal
Reserve.
•When ordering books, shirts, comics and other non-periodicals
which originate within your own state, be sure to enclose money
to cover sales tax.
★ ★★★★
THOSE FUNNY NUMBERS
What the little stuff in parentheses after each zine review do is
tell you how big the zine is. First comes a letter for the size of the
paper, or at least close to it:
A3
A4
A5
D
HL
HS
L
M
MM
O
Q
S
T
WAEOIOS GRAPHICS
EXCHANGE
SCHOLARLY SICKNESS FOR THE MASSES!!! DELVE INTO THE REALM OF
MORBIDITY THAT CONSTITUTES THE HUMAN CONDITION. SPECIALIZED
RESEARCH AVAILABLE IN SINGLES OR MULTIPLES OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES:
Human Sacrifice, Self Mutilation (Pick Your Part), Funeral Rites, Rippers &
Stabbers, Gallows Humor, Skin Disease, Necrophilia, Genetic Mutation, Coroner's Photos,
Cannibalism, Cemetery & Death Art, Demonology, Torture, Mass Murder, Death Trivia,
Occult Research, Strange Suicides,, Grave Robbing, Auto-Erotic Fatalities, Diabology, Evil
Poetry, Satanic Art & Literature, Sex Crimes, Ghosts, Paranormal Phenomena, Vampirism,
Humorous Epitaphs, Weird Fetishes, Crime Quiz + Answers. Insanity, Eschatology, Horror
& Splatter Movie Stills, Skull Art, Facial Mutilation, Assassination Techniques, Execution,
Freeze-Frame Death, Fortean Data, Terata, Curious Demises, Christian Ephemera,
Despotism, Serial Killers, Genocide, Calendar of Death, Military Curiosities, Secret
Societies, Beastiality, Flagellation, Famous Curses, Roman Ceasars, Shit/Piss Eaters,
Ancient Cults, Bizarro Trivia, Addams Family, Eccentric Wills, Odd Customs & Beliefs,
Zodiac of Death, Spontaneous Human Combustion, Strange Dying Words, Incredible
Coincidences.STRAIGHT TO YOUR MAILBOX!
- THE SICKER THE LETTER, THE SICKER YOUR ORDER -
- SORRY, NO CATALOG AVAILABLE -
SEND $2.00 PER CATEGORY + $1.50 U.S./ S2.50 FOREIGN
FOR POSTAGE AND HANDLING TO:
• P.O. BOX 4527 • PORTLAND, OR. 97208
ALL CHECKS PAYABLE TO: GARY FRANKLIN
A3 size, about 11 1/2 by 16 1/4
A4 size, about 8 1/4 by 11 1/2
A5 size, about 5 3/4 by 8 1/4
Digest, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2
Half Legal, 7 by 8 1/2 or 4 1/4 by 14
Half Standard, 4 1/4 by 11
Legal, 8 1/2 by 14
Mini, 4 1/4 by 5 1/2
Micro, smaller than mini
Oversized, larger than tabloid or odd-sized
Quarto, 8 by 10
Standard, 8 1/2 by 11
Tabloid, usually 11 by 17 on newsprint
Next comes a number, which is the number of pages. Last there
may be a suffix: "t" for typeset or laser-printed, or "r" for
photo-reduced or small type.
Also, at the front of reviews of zines being listed for the first
time you will find the symbol □
ADVERTISING
FACTSHEET FIVE advertising space is available as follows:
Back Cover 7 1/2 by 6 1/4
Full Page 7 1/2 by 9 3/4
Half Page 7 1/2 by 4 3/4
Half Page 3 3/4 by 9 3/4
Quarter Page 3 3/4 by 4 3/4
Eighth Page 3 3/4 by 2 1/4 •
Twelfth Page 7 1/4 by 2
Copy should be submitted as camera-ready, in the stee it is to
run. For sizes not on the list, please call me. Please note: a standard
business card is an eighth-page ad. Current rates are as follows:
Back Cover with Second Color $190.00
Full Page with Second Color $170.00
Full Page $145.00
Half Page $80.00
Quarter Page $50.00
Eighth Page $25-00
Twelfth Page $12.50
Ads which are paid in advance for two or more insertions may
take a 20% discount from the above prices—and are protected from
price rises during the life of the ad. This
discount does not apply to twelfth page ads.
This discount also does not apply to ads with
a second color.
Ad space needing a second color, either
back cover or interior, should be reserved with
us before sending in copy, as this space is
obviously limited. Ads for the inside back cover
should also be reserved. Other ads need not
reserve space in advance, though you're
welcome to do so. Generally, we do not trade
advertising with other publishers, though we
make rare exceptions for those with a large
circulation in areas that I don't ordinarily reach.
Classified ads are now available for 25* per
word, minimum 20 words, maximum 500
words.
Please note that the back cover ad space
is not the same size as a full interior page!
Deadlines for upcoming
issues:
#42
Apr. 18, 1991
#43
May 31, 1991
#44
July 18, 1991
#45
Sept. 5, 1991
#46
Oct. 17, 1991
#47
Nov. 28, 1991
6
News
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
I
a-
CHANGES OF ADDRESS
•Ajax Records, Tim Adams and THE POPE have jointly relocated
to PO Box 805293, Chicago, IL 60680-4114.
•Kevin "G.G. Allin has been shipped off to 206045, Muskegon
Correctional Facility, 2400 S. Sheridan Rd., Muskegon, MI 49442,
Lock El.
•AMOK has moved to Corey von Vielliez, Trisstrasse 19, 6700
Ludwigshagen, GERMANY.
•ANOTHER PAIR OF SHOES has moved to PO Box 300031,
Minneapolis, MN 55403.
•BLEEDING EYESORE is at 46 Leatham Park Road, Purston,
Pontefract, W. Yorks, WF7 5DT, UK.
•CAMELLIA now grows at PO Box 4092, Ithaca, NY 14852.
•CHAOS COMIX has moved to 1162 N., Park, Victoria, BC, V8T
1C8, CANADA.
•COMPOST MODERN LIFE, COUNTER CULTURE, Sean Wolf
Hill and associated projects have fetched up at 42 Cold Brook Rd.,
Hampden, ME 04444.
•EXTROPY and Max More are at PO Box 77243, Los Angeles,
CA 90007-0243.
•THE GAME'S AFFOT and Zirlinson Publications have relocated
cross-country to 1036 Glacier Ave., Pacifica, CA 94044.
•The Hospitality Exchange and Jo-Lily have relocated to 4215
Army St., San Francisco, CA 94131.
•Geof Huth and all his various zines and projects have relocated
to 317 Princetown Road, Schenectady, NY 12306.
•Joy Before the Storm and Benedictine Tapes are now at PO Box
599, Menomonee Falls, WI 53052-0599.
•THE LEDGE is now sitting at PO Box 11635, Cincinnati, OH
45211-0635.
•MOE WORKS AT WAL-MART has moved to Bob Pomeroy,
PO Box 320753, Tampa, FL 33679-2753 (and the next issue has been
delayed by a disastrous fire).
•Mychele is now at PO Box 82344, Phoenix, AZ 85071-2344.
•Nocturnal Records is at PO Box 399, Royal Oak, MI 48068.
•NO EXTERNAL COMPULSION and Criterion have gone to 102
E. Gorham, Madison, WI 53703.
•NO SCENE ANYWHERE and Bill Burg are at 7453 Evening
Way, Citrus Hts, CA 95621.
•NOVOID and Colin Hinz are now squatting at PO Box 161,
Orillia, ONT, L3V 6H9, CANADA.
•OX/FACE THE FACTS and Joachim Hiller are now at Joseph-
Boismard-Weg 5, 4300 Essen 13, GERMANY):
•Oyster Publications has relocated to 1003 Ave. X, Apt. A,
Lubbock, TX 79401.
•PACIFIC OCEAN
ECOLOGIST may now
be found with Bradley M.
Gordon, PO Box 90775,
San Diego, CA 92169.
•POETS WITH JOBS
are working at 1705 14th
St. #272, Boulder, CO
80302-6365.
•PUDDLEZINE has
joined some other folks
in PO Box 11374, Berke¬
ley, CA 94701.
•RAG is now in PO
Box 850018, Mesquite, TX
75185-0018.
•ROLLER SPORTS
REPORT and WATCH
THE CLOSING DOORS have moved to Box 1290, 1204 Avenue U,
Brooklyn, NY 11229-4198.
•THE SECRETS OF LIFE AND DEATH have moved to 93 E.
Ashland, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
•A SNAKE! slithered off to PO Box 1511, Bellingham, WA 98227.
Remember, since it costs us 30* just to get your COA if the Post
Office tells us, and remailing your FF would cost us the price of
another copy plus first class postage (they don't return whole issues,
just covers), we're not inclined to send you a replacement when
this happens. If you want to keep your collection complete, send
me your Change of Address as soon as you know it!
LOST ADDRESSES
Anybody got a current address for any of these?
•ANATHEMATA
•Contra Mundo Press
•FARM
•INFANTAZINE
•Jonathon London, last seen in Graton, CA ,and Dr. Dread, last
seen in Arcadia, CA (both requested by EOTU)
•Cerebral Shorts (requested by Colin Hinz)
•Drippo's "Church of Sex" and Gramavision, Gaia Records (both
requested by AUDIO CARPAETORIUM).
•Lovers and Other Monsters, who sent us a tape with no return
address.
•MILLION YEAR PICNIC (requested by FOOD FOR THOUGHT)
•Bill Nicholas, Lori Morgan (last seen in Erie PA), Cheryl Fish
and Ed Hughes aka Turtle (requested by BIG HAMMER)
•David Sausser (requested by AMP)
•Joe Schwind
•THINK!
•Anyone had any luck with the Lunatic Labs BBS number in the
last FF?
By the way, if you've had any correspondents go missing lately,
feel free to send their names to be added to this listing.
DEAD ZINES
All of the following have ceased publication in the last few
months:
•ALIVE
•BACKLASH
•CERES
•DUSTY DOG REVIEWS (DUSTY DOG continues to publish)
•INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISER
•KURLUK
•METRO RIQUET
•MYTH INFORMATION
•NEWSLETTER WITH NO NAME (to be replaced by PAGES
FROM MY JOURNAL)
•THE NEWS OF THE WATCHMEN
•NEW WAVE IS ALIVE (replaced by WHAT UP!)
•ORLANDO RADIO DIGEST
•ROCK AROUND THE WORLD
•THE WONDERLAND TIMES
ERRATA
•BRAIN CANCER was erroneously given the wrong zip code in
#42; the right zip code should be: 48065.
•FUNMARE INK'S correct address is 627 Taylor St. #21, San
Francisco, CA 94102.
•The correct address for THE JOE NEWS is PO Box 153, Back
Bay Annex, Boston, MA 02117. OK, guys, call off your lawyers!
•The correct address for THE LEDGE is do Timothy Monaghan,
64-65 Cooper Ave., Glendale, NY 11385.
•RADICAL DEPARTURE is 25* & SASE.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
News
7
•A SNAKE! is $2, not $1 as we printed.
•The correct price for TORN SCROTUM is $2.75.
•The correct address for Vinson Watson is 4141 S. Indiana,
Chicago, IL 60653.
•The correct price for XIZQUIL is $3.50.
HALL OF SHAME
We have unresolved complaints of non-delivery about the
following zines. Write for them at your own risk. While we are
happy to try to settle problems, please wait at least 6 weeks and
send at least one follow-up letter with an SASE before you complain
to us. Please note that you really have to work at it to end up on
this list. If you write us to complain about a publisher, first we'll
write to the publisher myself and see if things can be straightened
out. Then, after a month, if there's still no satisfaction and no good
explanation, they'll end up here.
•Anarchy Records
•ANATHEMATA
•Artcite, store, Windsor, ONT
•Bick's Books, Washington, DC
•CROW, Bill-Dale Marcinko, Wharton, NJ.
•Garry De Young, who stiffed us for payment on an ad.
•Chris Duffy, distributor, Makanda, IL
•Kevin Langdon
•Newsbeat, distributor, Davis, CA
•Ray Ram is a person, not a publisher, but he owes us ten
bucks and has moved without forwarding address and perhaps
seeing his name here will shame him into coughing it up.
•TRUE CRIME TRADING CARDS (Apparently moved without
forwarding address—watch out for other projects by Kim Asseley)
T-SHIRTS (& other clothing)
•"Don't Leave Home Without It" is the caption on the latest
shirt from Little Green Man Press (3776 Manila Ave., Oakland, CA
94609). It features a guy walking down the street with his head
under his arm. Available for $13 in either black on white or white
on black all-cotton shirts. You can still get a catalog of all the LGM
shirts for only $1.
•"THE FEAR OF DEATH IS THE BEGINNING OF SLAVERY"
is the latest shirt out from Renegade Graphex (928 Lovell St.,
Kalamazoo, MI 49007). It's got that caption in black over a red
woodcut showing a skeleton dancing around an old man. White
100% cotton shirts sell for 12.50. You can get their catalog for an
SASE or 4 IRCs.
•Eric Knisley (107-H W. Main, Carrboro, NC 27510) sent us three
great shirts, and we stupidly lost the piece of paper with the price
on them. What the heck, $10 each, and if that's wrong I'm sure
he'll tell you. "A Glimpse of Paradise" and "The Arena of
Temptation" are black on white shirts, big drawings crammed with
detail, sort of a modern Hieronymus Bosch. Then there's our favorite,
a four-color print of some big-eyed character who looks like she
came out of a piece of attime, saying "Look at Yourself—A Fool
Drunk on Lowly Pleasures!". Better throw in a little extra for that
last one.
•Lifeforms Unlimited (PO Box 6363, Santa Rosa, CA 95406) sells
t-shirts by David Lee Ingersoll, with strange aliens on them. Looks
like you can get the catalog for a stamp.
•NO BLOOD FOR SPAM t-shirts used to be "No Blood For Oil"
shirts, with that caption in red with dripping blood. But now the
"Oil" is crossed out and "SPAM" written in in black. I don't know
what it all means, and if you're like to perplex your neighbors too,
you can get one by sending $8 to SPAM, 2316 Delaware Ave. Box
211, Buffalo, NY 14216. 100% cotton shirts.
•Out of Band Experience features their logo on their t-shirts, a
grinning guy over a television with their 800 number (1-800-Out-Band)
on the screen. Printed in black on a gray 100% cotton shirt, they're
available for $10 from Bill T. Miller, PO Box 221, Boston, MA 02123.
•Strip T's is a T-shirt company run by the talented Stephanie,
with tons of designs. The one she sent me is "Possessed", a dubious
looking cat with the caption "When he told her his cat was possessed
by ELVIS...she
laughed! But
later, when she
noticed the
sneer,... she
wasn't so
sure..." There
are tons of
other designs,
including a lot
of fantastically
funny work
dealing with re-
la tionships.
Black on a
white all-cotton
shirt with
hand-painted
color high¬
lights, the
shirts are $14
from Stephanie
H. Piro, PO
Box 522, Alton,
NH 03809.
•TRACTI
ON (PO Box
71033, Milwau¬
kee, WI
5321 l):has
shirts out with
their zine's
logo, the name
plus this cool
skull with a
cross on the
forehead and a
gear in the cor¬
ner. Visually
quite striking,
they are avail¬
able in black on
white 100% cot¬
ton shirts for $8
THE ORIGINAL
"PUKIN’ SMILEY"
T-SHIRT!
White Preshrunk 100% Cotton T-Shirt
■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
PLEASE SEND ORDER FORM WITH CHECK, MONEY
ORDER. WELL-CONCEALED CASH, OR C.O.D.
g REQUEST TO:
DECO RECORDS
, P.O. BOX 57549
’ Los Angeles, CA 90057
PUKIN’ SMILEY T-SHIRT(S) @ $12.00 ea._
LARGE 1 1 EXTRA-LARGE 1 1
qty qTy
IF C.O.D. $2.00 additional charge_
SALES TAX (California Residents Only) .78_
SHIPPING AND HANDLING @ $2.00 ea._
TOTAL $_
D0UGLASS-TRUTH\
institut^TT A
stark division \_
DOUGLASS-TRUTH
- -INSTITUTE^
•^trapped the thoughtsJ_—
DOUGLASS-TRUTH
^institute-T:
I had my first glimpse
postcards • t-shirts - comix
catalog available
_ 5000 davis ca 95617
8
News
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
in L or XL only.
•The T-Shirt of the Month Club is still going strong. Freddie
Baer does silkscreen work with fine lines that astound most people
who know what's going on with the field. The shirts are colored
100% cotton, and tend to feature old woodcuts in surreal
rearrangements. April's shirt, for example, has the human blood
system plus assorted other anatomy and, for some reason, a
flowering plant. March was a lady reclining elegantly in her garden,
along with a giant lizard. $27 will make you a member for three
months, sent to Freddie at PO Box 410151, San Francisco, CA
94141-0151—though you might end up on a waiting list for available.
Also available is a postwar commemorative button with a happy
face and "Have a Nice War", $1.50. Freddie has also done an
"Against War" shirt, a collage of battles from classical times to the
atomic bomb, white ink on a black shirt, quite arresting. $9.50 for
L or XL, $11.50 for XXL—nothing smaller because the design is so
large. $2 from each shirt goes to CCCO, the draft resistance group.
•UNDERGROUND GRAPHIX (PO Box 45178, Kansas City, MO
64111) offers a variety of shirts for $11 postage paid. "Food" is by
John Bergin, in 4 colors on a gray 75-25 shirt, and showing things
like "Congress Food" (a
dollar bill) and "Shark
Food" (a kid with a beach
ball). Then there's "The
Shotgun Blast" by Greg
Bloom, a striking drawing
in black and fluorescent
red on a white 100%
cotton shirt, showing
some strange skeletal
equine creature getting its
chest blown out. High
quality art for the fringes.
DYSLEXIC JAR PRQJEGI
SEND ME A POSTCARD AND I WILL SEND
YOU A .5 OZ. JAR FOR YOU TO FILL UP
wrm ANYTHING YOU WANT FROM
WHERE YOU LIVE. THEN YOU SEND IT
BACK TO ME. I WANT SPECIMENS FROM
EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY AND WORLD.
SO DO m DYSLEXIC, BOX 4763,
BOULDER, CO 80306 USA
•VIRUS 23 t-shirts
show the cover from their
VHMEIRQS
NevaR Die
Vampire T-SHIRTS!
black on orange or
black on white
m.I.xl $12 ppd.
THE LAST DAYS OF
CHRIST THE VAMPIRE
by J.G. Eccarius
"Hilarious" - Anarchy
"Blasphemous" - Fifth Estate
WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED THE KING
by J.G. Eccarius
"An interesting, chewy, different book"
- Mike Gunderloy
"A picaresque novel for the Baby
Bust generation." - Jim Martin
"i was freaked out after I finished it. Be
sure & read this!" - Iron Feather Journal
CAUTION! READING THIS BOOK MAY |
BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH! H
THIS’LL KILL YA
by Harry Willson
'There’s something in the book to
outrage everyone, ranging from a
conjugation of the verb 'to shit" and
other anglo-saxon-isms to explicit sex,
violence, and attacks on religion and
science... a profound sense of humor."
- ideas & action
All books pb, 192 pages, $7 postpaid
Free Catalog upon request
Please note our new address:
III Publishing
POB 170363
San Francisco, CA 94117-0363
issue number pi, a woodcut guy with demons flying from his hair
and thinking "2+3=23". It's all very striking and a bit frightening,
in white on a black 50/50 shirt. Looks like about $10 worth, from
Box 46, Red Deer, AB, T4N 5E7, CANADA
ARTIFACTS
•An Astroboy Pin is available from Eddy Jersey, PO Box 50454,
Austin, TX 78763-0454, for trade only. He accepts other pins,
Astroyboy collectibles, unopened packs of Simpson's trading cards,
or a handful of metal clothing studs.
•Base Balling Cards ($2 (?) from Paul Weinman, 79 Cottage Ave.,
Albany, NY 12203) come in packs of 20, together with a condom
with a baseball drawn on the package. The cards themselves feature
White Boy poems with strong sexual content on one side, and
drawings by Mike Diana on the other, printed on a variety of
fluorescent colors. An underground collectible.
•BLACK & BLOODY X: MY BOOTPRINT ON YOUR FORE¬
HEAD ($3 from Julie Peasley, Dyslexic, PO Box 4763, Boulder, CO
80306): This is a small booklet, but it seems pretty artifactual due
to the plastic lamination of tiny plastic ants into each page. The
other sides have gruesome color roadkill photos. Nasty. A 12-page
mini.
($4 from Fog Press, PO Box 31431, San Francisco, CA 94131):
This is a selection of goodies for those just getting into the wide
world of condoms, including 3 lubricant samples and 15 assorted
condoms, from ultra-thin to colored to lubed in a variety of ways.
The instructions are explicit and aimed at gay men, but of course
the condom itself won't know what orientation you are. Lots of
humor and solid info here. Also available from the same folks are
buttons, "Kiss Me, I'm a Diseased Pariah", $1 each. •Freedom Now
Button Source (PO Box 350, Malta, IL 60150) sell a variety of buttons,
with anti-authoritarian and alternative themes. They're all hand-col¬
ored too. The samples they sent me include a staring eye, Bart
saying "The war on drugs is a war on you, man!" and a psychedelic
peace symbol, but the one I like the best is the rendition of the
hookah-smoking caterpillar. $1 each up to ten buttons, plus 29tf each
P.O.BOX 12$
BUffAhO p My
1^212
&CstZ(!l . C?. i/. 'fjXZSL QAASV
qaasv
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
News
9
shipping; discounts for larger quantities. Custom designs also
available.
•Gun Earrings ($2 from Julie Peasley, Dyslexic, PO Box 4763,
Boulder, CO 80306): Just what the title says, a pair of small guns
attached to earring hooks. Come in 4 models: .44 magnum snub-nose
revolver, P-38 automatic, .357 magnum revolver, or .45 Colt Combat
Commander. Stock is black, but Julie will paint them to your
instructions.
•THE HATERS, "Shear" ($7 from G.X. Jupitter-Larson, PO Box
323, Fremont, CA 94537): This is the latest "conceptual record" for
Jupitter-Larson and company. It consists of a cotton ball wrapped
in several small strips of paper which give the instructions for
"playing" it. It's a limited signed and numbered edition, and the
price includes shipping, but still...
•MODOM 58A ($1 or "trade of something essential for life" from
Kurt Beaulieu, 4230 Pierre de Coubertin #9, Montreal, Que., HIV
1A4, CANADA): This is Kurt's interpretation of the Modom project,
a proposal for artifacts from whoever cares to construct them. His
is a card with a bit of gouache inside, issued in a strictly limited
edition.
•NAILS FROM JESUS' CROSS ($5.50 from Julie Peasley,
Dyslexic, PO Box 4763, Boulder, CO 80306): This one will offend a
lot of people. It's three big spikes, with red something on the ends,
in a baggie with some little Christian handouts altered to be rather
blasphemous. The price is high because of shipping costs, but if
you want to advertise an aggressive atheism, this may be just the
thing.
•Personal Charmlets ($2 or more from Julie Peasley, Dyslexic,
PO Box 4763, Boulder, CO 80306): These are little laminated collages,
handmade to order by the famous Julee-Peazlee. Prices vary
depending on how elaborate a charmlet you want.
•Starhead Comix (PO Box 30044, Seattle, WA 98103) has some
promotional stuff out with their logo, well known in the indie comics
world. You can get stickers for 50*, a button for $1, or a lovely
handmade ceramic pin for $8.50.
•TALES OF JERRY (Jane J. Oliver, 244 S. A St., Santa Rosa,
CA 95401), an underground rock and roll vampire comic book, is
out with a cloissone pin of Jerry himself, about 3/4" high. You can
get one for $56.
•Tray Full of Lab Mice (Matt Jasper, PO Box 356, Durham, NC
03824) sent a very strange picture for review,with eggs and
graveyards and birth and skiers and other things wrapped up in
the color section, and strange writings scribbled in the margin. You
can have your own for only $3.
•A VOICE WITHOUT SIDES #5 ($1 & a stamp from Geof Huth,
317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): This is a small poetry
zine in the shape of a fully functional earring, folded so it is less
than an inch on a side. TTie
poetry here is wordplayish,
with work from Jonathan
Brannen and Jake Berry.
•Yes! Pigs Can Fly! (PO
Box 1613, Jackson, WY 83001)
sent us their current catalog
of rubber stamps, plus a copy
of the one shown right here.
They have some really delight¬
ful designs (we both like "NO
DROOLERS") plus eraser
carvings and rubber stamps of
petroglyphs. And the catalog
is pretty fun all by itself—try
sending a buck for your copy.
GAMES
•BOXED NIGHTMARES ($11.95 from Palladium Books, 5926
Lonyo, Detroit, MI 48210): This is a set of adventures for Palladium's
Beyond the Supernatural game. It's got six different adventures, rife
with non-player characters, background, hints for the GM, and even
a tabloid newspaper reproduction that can be used to get the players
started on chasing down some of these strange occurences (obviously
the players should not be allowed to read this book!). There are
also some extensions to the basic rules, including a set of rules for
creating secret organizations for the players to be a part of, and
suggestions for adding arcanist thieves and assassins to the basic
range of characters available. (80 pp tpb/MG)
MAFIA
KING-PINS
The Blood. The Power.
The Family.
THE MAFIA.
$12*00 Per Set
(Includes shipping)
Send $2*00 for Catalog
of collectable card sets, buttons, stand-ups and MORE!
ALCAPONE
Dealer inquiries invited
(714)991-5815 Fax (714) 991-5826
Mail Check or Money Order To:
Mother Bomb Press
P.O. Box 325, Dept FS,
Atwood, CA 92601
10
News
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
•Sceptre Roleplaying (PO Box 8578, UT Sta., Austin, TX
78713-8578) is a two-year-old play by mail game, with about 70
people already involved. Send them an SASE for more details, or
if you can't wait the setup fee is only $3 and turns are 60* each.
Their introductory material looks pretty interesting.
IMPORTANT EVENTS
•Spew is "The Homographic Convergence", May 25, 1991 at the
Randolph Street Gallery, It will include a Queer Zine convention
plus a party featuring Vaginal Creme Davis, Fifth Column and other
notable homocore undergrounders. For more info, write to RSG at
756 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago IL 60622 or call Mary Jo at
(312)-666-7737.
•Bum Time will take place May 27 through May 31, in
Washington DC and Auckland New Zealand. It's an event including
exhibitions, mail art, fax art, and performance art, focusing on global
atmospheric degradation. For more info contact Gareth branwyn,
2630 Robert Walker PI., Arlington, VA 22207; 703-527-6032.
•The 16th National Conference on Men & Masculinity will be
in Tucson, Arizona from June 6-9, 1991. Registration is on a sliding
scale from $50 to $175, and you can contact them at PO Box 41286,
Tucson, AZ 85717-1286, or call 1-800-ITS-MM16.
•The first annual Chaos Network Conference, for people applying
chaos theory to social interaction studies, will be June 12-14, 1991
at the Radisson Park Terrace Hotel in Washington, DC. For more
information write the sponsors. People Technologies, at 200 Lincoln
Sq., PO Box 4100, Urbana, IL 61801 or call Mark Michaels at
217-328-0032.
•TRANSITIONS ABROAD Mar/Apr 1991 ($4.50 Smaple copy
from Dept. TRA, Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834): The quarterly
magazine for those wishing to live and work abroad, whether
through schools or on your own. This issue is devoted to Eastern
Europe: the Soviet Union (giving alternatives to packaged tourism),
confusion in travelling in the Eastern Bloc, and various work camps
in that part of the world. Articles are written by people who have
lived these experiences, so the information can be very valuable.
(S-64t/CG)
THE SECOND FACTUAL SWAMP FEST is looking for partici¬
pants in this year's event to be held in the Bay Area the last week
of June. They're looking "for poets, musicians, performers, and
others who would like to take part in a creative free-for-all. No
rejections, no common sense." Contact Crag Hill, 491 Mardara #3,
Oakland, CA 94610.
•The 1991 Vegetarian Summerfest will be July 3-7 at Buckness
University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. For more information contact
NAVS at PO Box 72, Dolgeville, NY 13329.
•The 12th New Music Seminar is July 13-17 in New York City.
Preregistration is $285 through June 12, and you can contact them
at 632 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 or register via credit card
at 800-888-8596.
•Support-In Sunday is July 14th, a day for public action against
psychiatric oppression. This year they're focusing on trumpeting the
scary return of electroshock. For more information, write the
Support-In at PO Box 11284, Eugene, OR 97440 or call the Alliance
at 800-724-7881.
•The second Recurring Irritations Festival of Alternative Media
is scheduled for August 5-11 at a variety of venues in Cleveland,
with most activities free to all. Write them at Burning Press, PO
Box 18817, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 or call (216)-221-8940.
•Convergence is a festival scheduled for August 5-15 at the Grand
Barn in Ontario. They're hoping to draw the alternative press,
alternative music, alternative people and more to help structure
positive actions for the world. More info from Peter Riden, 777 Barb
Road, RR!1, Vankleek Hill, Ont., K0B 1R0, CANADA.
•VOLGA-CON is a science fiction convention being organized
by the SF Club "The Wind of Time" in the USSR. It will take place
September 8-14, 1991. For more information, write to Boris A.
Zavgorodny, Volgograd-66, Central Post Office, Poste Restante,
USSR.
•A Third Continental Congress has beerrcalled for July 3-5, 1992,
to return the Federal government to its Constitutionally limited form.
For more information write to the Continental Congress Organizing
Committee, PO Box 1257, Escondido, CA92033-1257.
BUTTONS © EPHEMERA
>sus ^
Coves You
S everyone e/se
thinks you re
5^-.. an asshole
BUTTONS-$1.25 ea. postpaid
CATALOG: 4-290 stamps
EPHEMERA
275 CAPP ST #3
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110
WE PAY $25 FOR OUTRAGEOUSLY
FXJNNY SLOGANS!
SEND SASE FOR GUIDELINES
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
News
11
•Harmonic Convergence II is coming, July 26, 1992. For more
information about this event, when human beings are supposed to
enter into 4th dimensional Galactic Time, write to Willard Van De
Bogart, 5939 Telegraph Ave. #209, Oakland, CA 94609.
•A Celebration of Community is an ambitious gathering of
intentional communities, seekers of community, cooperatives, collec¬
tives and so on being planned by the Fellowship for Intentional
Community for June 23-27, 1993. It's going to be held at Evergreen
State College in Olympia, Washington. For more information write
to Fellowship for Intentional Community, '93 Communities Gathering,
8600 University Blvd., Evansville, IN 47712.
•If you're interested in a pagan events, you should subscribe to
Larry Cornett's calendar of festivals, gatherings, and so on. $4 per
year from 9527 Blake Ln. #102, Fairfax, VA 22031.
MAIL ART
We're reached the point where reviewing mail art is futile, an
invitation to fill our mailbox with trash. So we're just going to
announce shows and list people who send stuff. You may presume
they're all interested in trading. You might also want to take a look
at the new listing in the Zines section for THE JUNK MAIL ARTIST.
•Aerial Print (Kazuyoshi Takeishi, 1-3-9, Shimazu, Suginami,
Tokyo 167, JAPAN.
•afungusboy (PO Box 134, Brockport, NY 14420).
•Alizarin (PO Box 127, Wickatunk, NJ 07765).
•Reed Altemus (PO Box 24, Cumberland, ME 04021).
•Vittore Baroni (Via C. Battisti 339, 55049 Viareggio-LU, ITALY).
•Rhanjit Bhatnagar (Electronic Eng. Dept., National Kaohsiung
Inst. Tech., 415 Chien Kung Rd., Kaohsiunt 80782, TAIWAN
ROC)(Until July 1 Only)
•Donald F. Busky (7393 Rugby St., Philadelphia PA 19138-1236).
•Communication Centre (Kom De Hul, Denderweg 4A, B-9308
Gijsegem, BELGIUM)
•Mike Duncan (1916 17 St. SW, Akron, OH 44314.
•FaGaGaGa (PO Box 1382, Youngstown, OH 44501).
•Joy of Detritus (Rt. 1 Box 373, C'Ville, VA 22903.
•KILLER WHALE ($25 from either Luke McGuff, 4121 Interlake
Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103 or Mark Rose, 9037 Palatine Ave. N,
Seattle, WA 98103): This project, a mail artist's delight and an
archivist's nightmare, is spectacular enough to get a review even
though we normally don't review mail art. Mailed in a gargantuan
Federal Express tube (liberally plastered with stickers on the outside),
it contains works from ten countries and dozens of artists. Some of
the more elaborate contents: a tape and rubber stamp from the
Cracker Jack kid, a piece of toast with a design burned into it by
Kathy Shiroki, posters from Freddie Baer and J. LeRoy, and a film
canister with words inside from the Huth clan. There are plenty of
posters, plastic toys, postcards, and of course a catalog included.
Everything you need to hold a mail art show in your own living
room. (MG)
•Gene Kuhn (1103 E. St. Germain, St. Cloud, MN 56304). Gene
deserves special mention for managing to get the Post Office to take
a plastic fish the size of a mackeral and deliver it to our door.
•Laugh, Clown, Laugh (Alizarin, PO Box 127, Wickatunk, NJ
07765) will be put together July 31; send 100 copies, 8 1/2 x 11, to
participate. •Ruggero Maggi (C.so Sempione 67, 20149 Milano,
ITALY).
•Malok (PO Box 41, Waukau, WI 54980).
•Mellow Mango (do Disco of Doom, Apt. #18 B Beal's Cove
Rd., Hingham, MA 02043-2302)—send at least $1 for postage.
•Anton Mechanism (8020 Central SE #405, Albuquerque, NM
87108).
•MODOM 3/8/91 is a single sheet continuing one of Jake Berry's
projects, this one coming from Adam Tinkoff, 20 Daly St., Stamford,
CT 06902.
•"My Favorite Artist" is a show taking place June 16 through
August 4, Any media, all work exhibited, no returns, documentation
to all. Write Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Spring Garden & Tate Streets,
Greensboro, NC 27412-5001.
•New Year's Resolutions is the them of a show being run by
A Classic Pair (PO Box 771, Royal Oak, MI 48068). Size and media
open, rubber stamping appreciated, documentation to all.
•A Non Prophet Organization (PO Box 13180, Jersey City, NJ
07303).
•The Northwest Ohio Giant Mail Art Extravaganza Show! (Nicol
Kostic, PO Box 4673, Toledo, OH 43620) will be happening this fall.
including a gallery showing. No rejections, no returns, theme: art
& poetry.
•Robert Pasternak (291 Rupertsland Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2V
0G5, CANADA) is looking for something very specific: the Jokers
from decks of playing cards. He is willing to swap artwork for
exceptional cards.
•Recycle Now! is the mailart project of the American Gnostic
Church (PO Box 1219, Corpus Christi, TX 78403). Send them a
postcard and they will send you a recycled one.
•Baba Rae Saba, "French Canadian Mystic" (24 Main St., S.
Grafton, MA 01560-1133).
•Steve Sanborn, 5400 26th St. W #M-212, Bradenton, FL 34209).
•The Second Amendment Project is collecting opinions on the
right to keep and bear arms, with the hope of growing into "a zine
or an exhibit or a party to the next Constitutional Convention".
More info from PO Box 11574, Berkeley, CA 94701.
jwwwwwwyy y J(( ^ p flRK
RUBBER STAMP WORKS
Images for the visually
sophisticated and the
just plain weird.
Catalogue $2.00
Refundable with first
purchase
723D $7.50 P. (X-Box 603356
Shipping and Having Cleveland, OH 44103
our design or
yours!
all individually
hand painted!
#151
#027
#078
#001. "Free South Africa"
#006. Harriet Tubman
#008. Sojourner Truth
#016. Leadbelly
#021. Biko
#029. Pro-choice:
"No more butchery!"
#045. "Smash the state of
ordinary consciousness!"
#047. "Save the forests!"
#050. "Save the earth; stop
capitalist productoh!"
#057. Marx: "Everywhere the
S aths to freedom are
pen."
#059. Hegel: "Only that which
is an object of freedom
can be called an idea."
#061. Rosa Luxemburg: "Free¬
dom is always for one
who thinks differently."
#067. No ROTC
#077. Bart: "The war on drugs
is a war on you, man!
#079. "Barf Simpson: Don't eat
a cow, man!" w/Bart
barfing
#080. "The individual is the
social entity." Marx
#090. Bob Dylan
#092. "No War!"
#116. "I'm Revolting!"
#118. "U.S. out of the Gulf!"
#128. "Listen to women for
a change."
#130. "Stop Sexism"
#140. "Space is for Deadheads
not for warheads"
#143. "Fuck Authority"
#144. Marley: "Emancipate
yourselves from
mental slavery. .."
#155. Tracy Chapman
#156. "stop aids"
#159. "Kissing doesn't kill:
greed and indifference
do." (w/women kissing)
#173. peace symbol
#175. "fight AIDS not Arabs"
#179. "Fight for peace! Don't
wait for another war."
#181. Camus
#182. Sartre
#017
P.0.
Malta,
(815)
Send orders with quantity, number and description of buttons.
If you want a custom button, send art or slogan. Write checks
to Freedom Now. No cash. Allow 4 weeks for delivery.
Button Prices for 21/4": Postage & Handling (1st class):
up to 10 buttons: $1.00 ea up to 10 buttons: $ .29 each
if to 25 buttons: $0.80 ea 11 to 25 buttons $3.25 total
26 to 50 buttons: $0.75 ea 26 to 50 buttons $4.25 total
51 to 75 buttons: $0.70 ea 51 to 75 buttons $5.25 total
76 to 100 buttons: $0.65 ea 76 to 100 buttons $6.25 total
756-6613 Catalog of over 200 buttons: $1.00 including postage, free w/ order
_of 10 buttons or more. (Please indicate if you want a catalog.)
km
Box 350
IL 60150
12
News
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
•Song Exchange is a continuing action,
send a song and get one back. (Belin
Czechowicz, ul. Dragonow 8 m. 16,
00-567 Warszawa, POLAND).
•The Universal Fax Transmission Net¬
work "is involved with sending weird
faxes around the globe". Call 312-275-0848
to join.
•Unshorn and Proud is a show doc¬
umenting women keeping their underarm
hair uncut. For more info, contact 220
Productions, 1345 Oak Right Turnpike
#163, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
•Michael Voodoo (PO Box 12461,
Lake Park, FL 33403.
•Wall-ter (PO Box 111, Lebanon, KV
40033).
•Jokie X. Wilson (4301 W. 29th St
#175, Tucson, AZ 85711-6369).
OTHER NEWS
•ALTERNATIVE VOICE fanzine is on
hold until its editor graduates.
•Bill from Stylized Toaster reports
having lost the addresses on a couple of
orders; if he owes you merchandise,
please drop him a line.
•Dennis Bums (10248 Lola Ct., Concord Twp., OH 44077) does
regular mailings of want lists and contact data to collectors of radio
memorabilia. I imagine an SASE would get you a sample.
•Cadillac Blacksmithing (PO Box 861, Lyons, CO 80540) does
custom smith work, including damascus and knives from meteoric
iron. Prices start at $100 and go up from there. Send a stamp for
their flyer.
•The Cedar Creek Battlefield Founda¬
tion (PO Box 229, Middletown, VA 22654)
is raising money to preserve this Civil War
site, which includes the best surviving
trenches from that war.
•The Centre for Alternative Technol¬
ogy (Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ,
WALES) is an outfit that both develops
and displays to the public new alternative
technology. They are currently in the midst
of a stock offering and would probably
send you a prospectus for a few IRCs.
•Cohollican Productions (Mikel, 535 .
Canedy, Springfield, IL 62704) is putting
together a catalog of individual goods and
services nationwide—he already has chefs,
drummers, dress makers, welders and
writers. More info for SASE, line listings
free, paid ads also available.
•CO-OP AMERICA ($2.00 from 2100
M Street NW, Suite 403, PO Box 18217,
Washington, DC 20036) offers a catalog
filled with environmentally-conscious items
from jewelry to lawn bags. You'll find
recycled everything in here, including
handblown glasses from Mexico.
•Crystol Cards (608 100F, Denton, TX 76201) sell general-occasion
cards. One example has "Love is life and sometimes tragic. Good
or bad it's always magic" calligraphed on the front and a drawing
of a wizard inside. 4 assorted cards for $3.
•dpqpprodbooqpdb #6 is the latest catalog of productions from
the semi-ubiquitous Geof Huth. You can get your copy for an SASE
from 317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306. Also available
from Geof (for an SASE) is the PRAECISIO PRESS PROJECT
PROFILE #2, the current history of this not-press which is at the
forefront of not-publishing.
•Dreadful Pleasures (do Mike Accomando, 650 Prospect
Ave., Fairview, NJ 07022) is a mail order source for exploitation
movie promo posters, in the $5 to $20 range...things like Friday
Foster and Daughters of Dracula are prominent. Catalog should
just cost you a stamp or two.
•Earth's Brave New Catalog ($1 from 4738 Victor St., Dallas,
TX 75246) is a new source for bizarre mail-order items. Tesla
Coils, skeleton keychains, breakaway prop bottles and lobster
claw harmonicas are among the items in this first intriguing
catalog from them.
•EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS
(Contact Unipub, 4611-F Assembly Dr., Lanham, MD 20706) is
a directory of publications and resources for all types of
information on the EC. Everything from business to agriculture,
environment to transportation. Quite exhaustive.
•The Evils of Paper Money is the current catalog of material
available from Doc Adams (PO Box 3125, Denver, CO 80201).
He's published a large amount of stuff on government fraud
and monetary manipulation. Send 0 2°° or so and you should
get a nice selection back.
•Friend's Rubber Stamp Catalog is two bucks from Kevin
Friend, 1003 S. Oak, Lebanon, IN 46052. He's got a lot of nifty
designs, many with a nineteenth-century or 1950's feel, as well
as grabbags.
•Rev. R.T. Harris Jr. (PO Box 2666, Springfield, MO
65801-2666) is trying to put together a zine of "fears, what they
do to us and where they come from". Contributions are invited.
•The Hospitality Exchange (4215 Army St., San Francisco,
CA 94131) is a group of us who allow other members of the
group to stay in our own homes when they are traveling.
Membership includes a directory of everyone in the exchange
(updated three times a year), and costs $15, checks or money
orders payable to Joy-Lily.
•Greg Hurd's latest multi-colored limited edition silkscreen
print is of Madonna, pouting down at the camera with a hot
pink background. You can get a copy for $20 ($10 less than it
costs through the Madonna fan club) from Greg at 300 W.
Bosley, Alpena, MI 49707.
Underground Books & Tapes
Secrets of Masonic Mind Control: Alchemical Psychodrama
and Processing of Humanity. By Michael A. Hoffman II.
From serial murders and the Kennedy assassination to the farth¬
est reaches of occult psychosis. “. . . the most challenging
expose of masonic magic ever written.”—A-Albionic Re¬
search. 50 pages. Illustrated. $5.00
They Were White and They Were Slaves: The Untold His¬
tory of the Enslavement of Whites in Early America. By
Michael A. Hoffman II, 49 pages. Illustrated. $5.00
The Great Holocaust Trial. By Michael A. Hoffman II. 96
pages, profusely illustrated. Story of the 1985 show trial of
publisher Ernst Zundel for the “crime” of publishing a book
questioning the “Holocaust.” Book: $5.95. One hour color
VHS TV documentary on the trial: $19.95
Shipping: Add $2 for the first book or tape. 50 cents for each
additional item. Foreign add extra 15%, U.S. Funds.
Send $1.00 for our complete catalog (free with any order).
Wiswell Ruffin House
PO Box 236 Dresden, NY 14441
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
News
13
•Insoc Infonet (PO Box 687, Excelsior, MN 55331) writes "we
are now looking for cyberpunks, techies, infoids and hackers of all
sizes."
•The Intergalactic House of Fruitcakes (PO Box 235, Williams-
town, MA 01267-0235) keep us posted on all the essentials of Otis
Worship, as well as the faith of the month and other odd things.
They put out lots of untitled broadsides, maybe a zine, maybe not,
but for a buck or two you'll get something. (S-4/MG)
•A broadside on jury nullification is available for free to anyone
who requests it from John Winegard, PO Box 960, Hollister, MO
65673.
•KTI (PO Box 14603, Madison, WI 53714) is a source for libertarian
propaganda of various sorts. For example, they will sell you drink
coasters with Robert Heinlein's "One should always be wary of
strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors...and miss."
at $8 for 100.
•You can get a copy of the Kurluk Candle Shop Herbs Catalog
for an SASE from PO Box 6186, Baltimore, MD 21231. The packets
are half an ounce each, at prices from 75tf for basil to $2.80 for
sarsaparilla. My nose says the samples he sent us are fresh.
•Joe La perl e (17A Burch Rd., Bass River, MA 02664) will send
you a letter-begging kit for the asking—SASE helps, but not required.
Now whether it will be a kit suitable for letters to anyone other
than Joe I don't know.
•Rodney Leighton (RR #3, Pugwash, NS, B0K 1L0, CANADA)
is back in the publishing game, I think. Trouble is, he's sent a
confusing welter of announcements, and I'm not sure just what
projects are proceeding. But if you want to read reviews of small
press material, with an emphasis on wrestling and audio, you should
definitely get in touch with him.
•The Letter for Busy Folks and The Letter for Busy Homy Folks
are a pair of fill-in-the-blank all-purpose substitutes for the bother
of actually thinking about your correspondence. You can get either
one for 50tf & SASE from Dan Adams, PO Box 376, Cameron, WI
54822.
•Brendan Love (358 Vawter Hall/VPI, Blacksburg, VA 24060) will
send an assortment of stickers for sleazy biker, horror, and JD
movies to anyone who sends a letter and $1 or a trade.
•Mother Hart's (PO Box 4229, Boynton Beach, FL 33424-4229)
sells a variety of 100% cotton items, from sheets to cotton tops to
all-cotton comforters. They also carry some other natural products.
Write for a catalog.
•The Mutual Aid Netowrk (do E. Sanders, 295 Forest Ave. #248,
Portland, ME 04101-2000) wants to form a "continental web of support
in these times of increasing insanity, an exchange of addresses and/or
phone numbers for aid in case of crisis and unity for increased
resistance. They are explicitly radical and revolutionary.
•Obscure Research Labs (PO Box 15266, Santa Rosa, CA 95402)
will send you an informative pamphlet on their weirdological
activities for only 1 stamp. Or for a buck, you can get their "I Seem
'Em Too!" bumpersticker, for those who wish to profess a public
belief in UFOs.
•T.Paine (PO Box 343, Tiverton, RI 02878) sends out occasional
packages of writing. The latest I got includes some poetry, rules for
chess that can't be appreciated by computers, and an invitation to
join the poets revolution. Send an SASE and see what happens.
•Papa Jim (PO Box 14128, San Antonio, TX 78214) sends out
their huge catalog of voodoo, herbal, incense and other supplies for
FREE, contrary to what we have previously reported. It's quite a
bargain, thousands of items, hundreds of pages.
•PEACE THROUGH IMPEACHMENT bumper stickers are
available from Bitter Realities, 555 Bryant St. #333, Palo Alto, CA
94306. I don't have a price—wonder if they're on sale now?
•PLA/NET is "The Green Ham Radio Network". For more
information contact K3SRO, Robert N, Wilderman, 19 Glen Rd.,
Lansdale, PA 19446-1405 or Remy Chevalier, 25 Newtown Tpke.,
Weston, CT 06883.
•PRIVACY JOURNAL (PO Box 28577, Providence, RI 02908),
"An independent monthly on privacy in a computer age", is offering
subscriptions to FF readers at the special rat of $35 per year (the
regular price is $98 per year).
•Psychedelic Solutions (33 W. 8th St. 2nd FL, New York, NY
10011) sells psychedelic posters, both original and reprint. Their
catalog has plenty of color pages—I guess around $4.
•THE RADICAL FEMINIST (PO Box 28253, Kenneth City Sta.,
St. Petersburg, FL 33709) is out with a cumulative index, covering
their work from 1984 to 1989. $2.50 should land you a copy.
•REAL GOODS (966 Mazzoni St., Ukiah, CA 95482) is out with
their newest catalog of solar products, water-saving stuff, environ¬
mental games, recycled paper, and other alternative products. For
$14 you can get their mammoth sourcebook, which is a good place
to start.
•Redwing Blackbird (PO Box 2042, Decatur, GA 30031) is trying
to clear out some back inventory from their mail-order list of anarchist
and other strange literature—and so some items are free with orders
over $5. Send $1 for their current catalog.
•See Hear (59 E. 7th St., New York, NY 10003) seems to pump
out another catalog of music zines and other cool stuff every time
I turn around. You can get their latest, and have mail-order access
to a lot of neat zines, for $1.
•The Third Hand has another catalog f obscure and useful bicycle
tools out. You can get a copy probably for the asking from PO Box
212, Mt. Shasta, CA 96067.
•"Toxilla" posters are available from Charlie Cray (2837 N.
Whipple, Chicago, IL 60647) for $10, including shipping' rolled in a
tube. They're on heavy card stock and feature this great monster
rising from a pool of sludge outside a chemical plant, and mad as
heck about his surroundings.
•WORKING GIRL is going to be a feminist support forum for
workers in the sex industry. They're looking for contacts from women
in the industry right now; you can write Katy at 1929 Fairview #C,
Berkeley, CA 94703.
★ ★★★★
NOTED BUT NOT SEEN
•KISS THE UGLY WITCH ($5 from PO Box 478, Brisbane, CA
.94005) is "an Unusual Metaphysical Newsletter" scheduled to debut
May 1st.
•TANTRA ($27/6 issues from PO Box 79, Torreon, NM 87061)
is a new journal devoted to all aspects of tantric practice.
PENISES OF THE
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Scientific Novelty Co. is pleased to announce the
availability of Penises of the Animal Kingdom , a
comparative anatomy chart featuring the male copulatory
organs of several animals, from man to whale.
The chart is a rich source of genitological information.
From the finger-like appendage of the porpoise penis to the
extended urethra of the giraffe, the unusual characteristics of
each organ are clearly presented. In addition, an insert
containing a descriptive text is included with the chart to
complement the graphics.
But Penises of the Animal Kingdom is much more than
a reference—it is also a work of art. Conceived and illustrated
in the classic “Gray’s Anatomy” style, the chart is lithograph¬
ically printed on heavy textured stock and measures 23”x35”.
It is a poster of rare quality that is suitable for framing and
display.
Whether used as an educational resource, a decoration for
home or office, or a unique gift, Penises of the Animal
Kingdom will provide many hours of fascination and
enjoyment.
To Order:
Send $8.95 plus $2.00 for postage and handling to Scientific
Novelty Co., P. O. Box 673-N, Bloomington, IN 47402. Please
allow 1 - 2 weeks for delivery.
1
14
Aeditorial
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Two notes for publishers:
1. Many of you are still listing the wrong price for FACTSHEET
FIVE. We appreciate the business, but we also appreciate not losing
money. If you're reviewing us, please be sure to list the price as
$3.75 bulk rate or $5 first class for a sample. Thanks.
2. If this is your first copy of FF, and you can't find your own
publication reviewed within even though the label says "R", that's
probably because your review will be in the next issue. We try
not to make people wait too long for their first copy, even if they
don't have material reviewed in it.
First off, thanks to all who sent such warm congratulations on
my getting married—it was very touching to hear from people I've
never met but for in print, and you are all very thoughtful. However,
it should be noted that as much as Mike and I are committed to
each other through a business partnership, it was not Mike that I
married, as a few of you thought. Anyway, it feels great, as a
matter of fact it feels the same as before, which is what we were
intending all along.
On to business: Now that the work around here is getting more
organized, we hope to have time in the near future to work on
some other projects. One of them that's in the works has to do
with a personal hobby I seem to have acquired and want to expand
on. Bands take note: I am actively searching for very unusual cover
material by different bands; anyone who's heard "The Last
Temptation of Elvis," or the recent Green Acres theme song sung
to the tune of "Purple Haze" knows exactly what I mean (does
anyone know who does that?). You know, "MacArthur Park," "You
Light Up My Life," that sort of idea. Anyway, it's still in the
formative stages, but I'd like to start hearing from people who are
either interested in recording some weird and wonderful cover
material or know someone who already does. This could wind up
as an eventual FF compilation somwhere down the road.
Another thing we are looking for is more column heading art.
We like to rotate the column headings with each issue and find that
we don't have enough to rotate with. Anyone interested in whipping
up a couple of column headings (i.e. Poetry, Zines, Electronic
Frontier, Books, etc.), by all means send them in. We consider
everything.
Take care. Happy Spring.
Cari Goldberg Janice
I seem to be spending an increasing amount of time out on the
electronic frontier lately. That's the easiest way to think of the huge
network of computer bulletin boards, electronic publications, relayed
mail and other text telecommunications which criss-crosses the world.
A couple effects of this should be obvious in this issue. First, we're
finally offering FF on diskette (for IBM compatible computers only,
at the moment—if there are any Mac C programmers interested in
porting the program over, please give us a call). See the ordering
information in die front of the zine for more information on that.
Second, with the addition of Angela Gunn to our staff we're finally
reviewing BBS systems. Finally, you can find her reviews and the
software reviews in the new Electronic Frontier
section—please let us know what you think of this.
And before anyone can get the idea, don't worry,
we have no intention of abandoning paper publica¬
tions! We're just adding more in-depth coverage of
the new wave of electronic material.
And if you'd like to join us out on the frontier,
I suggest trying the WELL, the computer system
associated with WHOLE EARTH REVIEW. From
most parts of the country it will cost you $6.50 an
hour, but for that you get fabulous conversations
with hundreds of leading-edge thinkers, including
some big names you might be surprised by. There
are areas for Deadheads and fanzine people and
designers and programmers and writers and oh, just
about everyone else. To sign up, set your modem
to 1200-N-8-1 and call 415-332-6106. Type "newuser"
at the first prompt and be sure to tell them that
ffmike sent you.
Several publishers have reported getting copies of
a pamphlet called SAINT PAUL'S GAY HERITAGE?
in the mail unsolicited. I fear this is one of the potential side-effects
of being listed in FACTSHEET FIVE; we can hardly control who
our readers are or what they do with this resource. If you don't
want to take any chances on getting mail, best not to be listed here.
We finally have the j-cards printed for the first FACTSHEET FIVE
compilation tape, so copies will be going to contributors and
supporting subscribers at the same time as this mailing. Thanks for
your patience, and see the announcement back in the music section
of the forthcoming second comp tape. I think we've got the bugs
out of the process now.
Thanks for all the survey cards; we'll be publishing the results
in the next issue.
And now for the update on our review backlog: with this issue
we have finally gotten the music reviews back under control (by
which I mean there is only enough sitting here to choke a horse,
rather than a full herd), and should be able to continue responding
promptly to music sent—that is, almost everything is getting
reviewed within a month of its arrival. Shareware is also current
for a change (except for Macintosh, but that's coming). Next we'll
tackle the too-large pile of books and videos we have waiting here.
With luck, we will have more good news on this front in the next
issue.
Mike Gunderloy
This issue dedicated to the late Tom Shearer.
MEWLY WEEK
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Publisher's Coice
15
ADULT
VIDEO NEWS
Feb.-April 1991
($39.95/12 issues
from 8600 West
Chester Pike #300,
Upper Darby, PA
19082): Primarily,
this is a glossy
trade magazine
devoted to re¬
viewing and pre¬
viewing adult vid¬
eos for distribu¬
tors and retailers
of the adult video
product. The ads
for upcoming vid¬
eos are imagina¬
tive and wonder¬
ful and always
provide some gig¬
gles from the two
of us at the FF
headquarters
(March features
"Edward Penishands" with an absolute dead ringer for
Johnny Depp in the starring role). But there's a lot more in
here, if people would only read the articles. Editor Gene
Ross is a stalwart anti-censorship hero doggedly fighting the
good fight against the small-minded, the sexually stupid,
and the phonies (which run rampant through the industry
and the country), and it seems like no one is listening. Well
I am. He and his staff follow the government like shadows,
tracking the ridiculous assertations of "obscenity" and
"perversion." Each issue relates and reviews the accumulating
videos that some retail video outlets refuse to carry, more
on First Amendment rights and the pressures that those in
the industry face. I have a feeling that the profession of
adult video magazine editor is more of an impediment in
his fight for First Amendment rights for the time being, but
not in the long run. An excellent publication . (S-86t/CG)
THE ANIMALS' AGENDA Apr. 1991 ($22/yr from PO
Box 6809, Syracuse, NY 13217): This is the best overview
there is of the animal rights movement, a large slick magazine
that covers all the various issues and groups. This issue
stands out in particular for devoting a big chunk to varying
views on one of the major problems, the raising of animals
for food. They also publish lots of shorter news and reviews.
Among the likely to be controversial items here is a report
on what the various animal charities do with their money,
based on IRS filings. If you have any interest in animal
rights, this is an essential networking and news tool.
(S-60t/MG) _
CONCERTINA & SQUEEZEBOX #24 ($5.50 from PO Box
6706, Ithaca, NY 14851): That this zine exists at all, after a
disastrous fire wiped out the entire archives, the editor's
apartment, computer, and instrument collection, is in itself
a triumph. That it looks so darned good is reason enough
for putting it here. As the title says, this is a specialized
music journal for lovers and players of free-reed instruments.
They've got articles and reviews of particular bits of hardware
(with lovely names like Castagnari Accordions), a report on
their 1990 "Squeeze-In" meeting of folks with similar
interests, and interviews (Dave Townsend in this issue).
Random news notes and classified ads help contribute to a
community feeling here. Special nod to Ellen Black for her
painstaking and lovely design work. (HL-52t /MG)
GAUNTLET #2 ($8.95 from 309 Powell Rd. Dept R91,
Springfield, PA 19064): Calling this annual publication a zine
is really stretching things a bit; it's half the size of my phone
book. It deals with censorship, and considering the past
year, it's no wonder that it's this thick. Highlights include
a series of interviews with people involved in the 2 Live
Crew controversy; a Stephen King section (including King's
own essay on MPAA ratings); some of the "Killer Fiction"
from Sondra London's Media Queen publishing house; and
a rundown of the top ten censors of 1990 (no surprise that
Don Wildmon heads the list). In addition to essays, they
publish a lot of controversial work, including a rape comic
that occasioned much fuss when it was originally put out
in HOT BOX and stories from Karl Wagner, Graham
Masterton, William Relling and others. An awesome achieve¬
ment. [late-breaking news: once again GAUNTLET itself has
been censored. This time, the Florida Department of
Corrections has refused to let one of its inmates, who also
happens to be an author of part of the book, receive his
own contributor' s copy.](D-402t/MG) _
□MILK & CHEESE #1 ($3.25 from Slave Labor Graphics,
983 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose, CA 95128): A great collection
of Evan Dorkin comics about these "Dairy Products gone
BAD...Society is to Blame!" The little milk carton and chunk
of cheese run amok here, beating up the postman, destroying
a bowling alley, disrupting a court, ruining a mall and
ultimately burning down an entire city. Every once in a
while they throw in a bad pun. What kidTs there whp hasn't
dreamed of gro wing up to be just like these two? (S-24/MG)
MURDER CAN BE FUN #13 ($1.25 from"John Marr, PO
Box 640111, San Francisco, CA 94109): Without a doubt, this
man loves to dig up obscure and not-often-related true tales
of murder, tragedy, and horrible things that happen to
people. And he's good at it (he probably sleeps at night
better than most of us, too). This issue is an outstanding
effort, featuring "Death At Disneyland," detailing many of
the tragic and fatal accidents that have occured there through
the years. Some of them are truly frightening, such as the
poor employee who was crushed in a way similar to those
cartoon characters you see flattened by a steamroller. But!
There's more misfortune inside than you can shake a stick
at: the strange and sordid deaths that happen at UC Berkeley
more often than snow days, the historical account of one
Sylvestre Matuschka, a man who derived sexual fulfillment
out of arranging and executing train wrecks and collisions,
"The Ultimate Plane Crash"—a little known event that
happened in Munich in 1960 (which seemed like a precursor
to the tragic PanAm flight of a couple of years back). And
then to lighten the mood a little bit, Marr fills us in on an
eccentric mystery author of the 20s and 30s, Harry Stephen
Keeler (whose characters often
refer to their creator). The ingredi¬
ent that allows Marr to stand out
among his peers is his pure
and..er..almost unaffected dedica¬
tion to the subject matter. He
works hard at what he does and
it shows. (D-31r/CG)
16
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
©
THE 11TH ST. RUSE Vol. 4 #3 ($l-$2/4 issues from Ellen Carter,
322 E. 11th St. #23, New York, NY 10003): An idiosyncratic litmag
with a strange sense of humor. This issue has an interview with
Saddam Hussein (in which he reveals he attacked Kuwait because
he was tired of tough wars), a story using the names of acupressure
points, and an "in and out" list for the new year . (S-4/MG)
252-NEWS #9 (Contact Henning Zeus Zipf, Bessunger Str. 33,
W-6103 Griesheim, GERMANY): A German-language zine of role-
playing games and affiliated subjects. I see everything from classic
fantasy to science fiction to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here. They
publish reviews, stories on new games, contact addresses and even
some comics. (A4-36t/MG)_
2600 Vol.7 #4 ($18/yr from Subscription Dept., POBox 752, Middle
Island, NY 11953-0752): Long running and successful hacker's
quarterly that takes a deep look into high technology, phones,
computers and other areas of communication. This issue delves into
a political hacking scandal, "Central Office Operations" codes and
gives out advice. Also lots of reader response. (D -46t/CG)
THE 2600 CONNECTION #4 ($5/4 issues from Timothy Duarte,
14 Blackburn St., Fairhaven, MA 02719-4334): A zine for those who
still own and use the Atari 2600 video game system. They discuss
the solutions to classic cartridges, and track down some prototypes
and rarities. Also an active classified ad section is building up.
(S-6/MG) __
2AM #17 ($5.95 from PO Bo 6754, Rockford, IL 61125-1754): A
magazine of fine shuddery horror fiction. They're not afraid to get
into sexual nastiness, with some real nightmare material here from
T.C. Guy and John Coyne, to name a few. They also feature some
market news and short reviews, as well as luscious art keyed to
the stories. One of the classier entries from the small press.
(S-662/MG) , _
3AM #1 ($1.50 from Joseph Johnson, 608 W. First St., Oil City,
PA 16301): A zine that combines a love for old movies with a love
for classic underground garage music. The first half is reviews of
strange flicks, light porno, people hunting people, Boris Karloff flicks,
and so on. The second is music, from Rolling Stones outtakes to
1313 Mockingbird Lane. A packed to the margins look at this weird
B-culture that fascinates so many of us. (S-26r/MG)
3dipswhoaregoD Vol.2 (The Usual (?) plusAge Statement from
Catfish, 915 W. Wisconsin Ave., Rm. 412, Milwaukee, WI 53233):
Weird and wacky collage from a droll group of pseudo-cultists. There
are some theological questions and answers about the group and
some of their "special powers/tidbits," but it's mostly made up of
some of the bizarre-ist collage data I've seen, almost as if they stole
some stuff from t he SubG's. (S-3/CG) _
□8 BITS AND CHANGE! Vol.l #4 ($15/yr from [make check
payable to] Small Computer Support, 24 East Cedar St., Newington,
CT 06111): A computer-humor newsletter whose "editor/publisher's
primary objective is to provide a place for die-hard CP/M 12-System
enthusiasts to learn, show off, laugh and sell!" Serious computer
people will thrive on these contents—there are computer drawing
programs, games, RLE Graphics, a study of "computer people" and
lots of humor alon g these lines. (S-20/CG) _
90% PENGUINS #6 ($1 from 5036 Coronado Pkwy. #302, Golden
Gate, FL 33999): A collection of miscellaneous creativity and little
penguins (some arranged into a bigger peace sign). There are quotes,
short stories that just sort of amble through, movie crit, absurd
news clippings, an d other flotsam here. (S-16/MG)
ABRAHAM #6-9 ($15 for 12 issues from Malcolm Reid and
Daniel Germain, 510, rue St. Gabriel, Quebec G1R 1W3 CANADA):
This "journal of the global village" examine local issues from an
international perspective and the international from their local
outlooks. Through essays, interviews, letters, and occasional poems,
these writers and artists are trying to examine our world in simple
but profound ways. The November 1990 issue on utopian and
albertine cities was the most thought-provoking of these issues, but
the editors are constantly tackling any new and quirky subject that
can be written about in French. (Q-8/Reviewed by Geof Huth)
ABRASAX #11 ($20/4 issues from James M. Martin, PO Box 1219,
Corpus Christi, TX 78403-1219): A tome of_magick in the modern
^world that ranges over a broad selection of subjects. This one has
a channeled Thelemic work (which even the channel admits doubts
about) with commentary, a long article on filmmaker Kenneth Anger
and his occult connections, and more. Humor and gossip are rife
as always, making the zine entertaining as well as educational.
(S-52/MG) _
THE ACE March 1991 ($18/membership from POBox 11201,
Shawnee Mission, KS 66207-0201): Clandestine, pirate, short wave
and other assorted radio enthusiasts gather together to track new
and interesting stations, report on the goings-on with the FCC (and
list recently deposed stations), chat with each other about their
hobby and/or livelihood. They also talk about short wave radio in
other countries (like whether or not Radio Marti is clandestine) and
list a calendar of events. (D-35r/CG) __
ACE-HI INFO Feb. 1991 ($10/yr from PO Box 23076, Honolulu,
HI 96822): The zine of the Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Hawaii,
a well-organized looking users group. They cover all the Atari
computers from the 400 on up to the Portfolio. A mix of product
reviews, notes on shareware now available, C programming and
lots more here. (S -16t/MG) _
ACE OF RODS #36 ($25/8 issues CASH from Acca and Adda,
BCM Akademia, London, WC1N 3XX, UK): A contact zine for pagans,
primarily in the British Isles but with a few people overseas. They
run contact and personal ads free for subscribers, and provide a
confidential forwarding service. They also carry some advertising
and short writing of interest to pagans. (D-20r/MG )
ACK AKA DAK DAK AKA ACK #2 (SASE from W.A.
Thompson, 204 Sunrise Ave., Smithfield, NC 27577): A single-sheet
mixed bag. This issue has the conclusion of a Dead Milkmen
interview, a chili recipe, and a list of "10 Cool Things To Do", most
of which are likely to cause trouble in the average suburban
neighborhood. (S-l /MG) __
ACROSTICS NETWORK #5 ($10/4 issues from 1030-A Delaware
St., Berkeley, CA 94710): If you've ever been into crossword puzzles,
you know the joy of doing acrostics. These people will help you
get into the joy of constructing them as well. Mostly it's wall-to-wall
puzzles, some pre tty easy, some fiendishly difficul t. (S-14t/MG)
ACTIONS OF REBIRTH #3 ($2.00 from Bill/A.O.R., Apos-
taopoulou 56, Halandri 15231, Athens, GREECE): "Mental Mayhem!!"
This zine out of Greece details many parts of our culture you won't
find in too many places: a history and inception of Cyperpunk,
Discordianism, an interview with PunkParents and Kismet H.C.,
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
17
horror filmmaker Lucio Fulci and lots of music and horror film
reviews. But be warned: read this in very good light—the print is
faint and very ver y small and cramped (A4-19r/CG )
AFTER HOURS #10 ($4.00 Single issue from POBox 538, Sunset
Beach, CA 90742-0538): Respectable, solid dark fantasy/horror litmag.
This is their special "Nighthawks at the Diner" issue (with hats off
to Edward Hopper), and some of them are spooky enough to keep
some diner diehards away for awhile. The set location for those
stories are diners and coffee shops with name-plated waitresses and
lots of coffee. The stories branch out at that point. Also included
is an interview with Wayne Alloen Sallee, some book reviews and
reader response. ( S-48t/CG) _
ALASKA METAPHYSICAL COUNCIL NEWSLETTER Mar. 1991
($12/12 issues from PO Box 9-3006, Anchorage, AK 99509-3006):
Everything you need to stay in touch with the New Age and
alternative community in the Anchorage area. Besides lots of contacts,
they publish essays on Big Topics (like "Divine understanding" in
this issue) and some news as well. March talks about the First Earth
Battalion plan for changing the face of the Army. (S-12t/MG)
ALGORITHM 2.2 ($29.95/6 issues from PO Box 29237, Westmount
Postal Outlet, 785 Wonderland Rd., London, ONT, N6K 1M6,
CANADA): A journal for the recreational home computer user who's
interested in learning something while making pretty pictures. This
issue features computerized wallpaper, has some digital snowflakes,
a robot, chaotic music, and lots more. They also review software,
though I wish they would check out and support some shareware.
(S-28t/MG) _
ALMAGEST #5-6 ($1 from Rick Harrison, PO Box 547014,
Orlando, FL 32854-7014): This is Rick's personalzine, although #5 is
devoted to commentary on Desert Storm—more specifically com¬
mentary on the liberal and media reactions to the war. Despite being
an anarchist. Rich doesn't think much of the lefties, and a lot_ of
people will not agree with the opinions here. #6 is more quiet and
contemplative, a tour of Rick's garden on the occasion of his 30th
birthday. (S-2r/MG)_
ALPIC NEWSLETTER Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($10/yr from Ron Moody,
1111 W. Whiteside, Springfield, MO 65807): The newsletter of the
American Local Political Items Collectors, folks who go after rather
obscure campaign paraphernalia. The March issue leads off with
some items from G. Gordon Liddy's attempt to run for Congress,
and has a section of recent auction results. Ann Richards inauguration
paraphernalia take their place in the April issue. ( S-8/MG)
ALTERED STATE Vol. 7 #2 ($1 & 2 stamps from Tara Orzolek,
106 E. Clearview Ave., State College, PA 16803): An underground
litmag from the State College Area High School with an open
submissions policy—they print any creative work that their students
care to submit. This includes drawings, poetry, essays on entertaining
yourself, collage and more. The current editors are graduating this
year; I hope they find the next generation to take over. (S-20/MG)
THE ALTERNATIVE NEWSLETTER March 1991($2 (?) from James
B. Boskey, Seton Hall Law School, 1111 Raymond Blvd., Newark,
NJ 07102): Informative journal of news of Alternate Dispute
Resolution, or ADR as it's called. For lawyers and law teachers alike,
much information is passed along about the progress and usage of
mediation in the states and abroad. Meetings and and reports are
listed, along with a national calendar of events, a book review
section dealing with similar topics, and resources in other media are
presented. (S-30/CG)_
ALTERNATIVES Vol. 17 #4 ($25/4 issues from Faculty of
Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ONT, N2L
9Z9, CANADA): A wide-ranging academic journal of "society,
technology and environment". In addition to the usual plethora of
news briefs, this one takes a look at literature as a way of
re-establishing connections with the earth, investigates the contro¬
versial Loblaw's line of "green" products, and publicizes a successful
non-profit recyclin g center. (S-56t/MG) _
THE AMERICAN GAY & LESBIAN ATHEIST Vol. 9 #3 ($24/yr
from PO Box 66711, Houston, TX 77266-6711): Closely tied the
American Atheists, this one is definitely more interested in fighting
God than in fighting homophobia. Mostly it is short news designed
to make the believers and thei r gods look stupid. (S-12t/MG)
AMERICAN INDIAN DEFENSE NEWS Vol. 4 #3 ($1 from PO
Box 3121, Hutchinson, KS 67501): The American Indian content here
is the front and back covers, which reprint clippings from the
mainstream media. Otherwise, this is standard "big mail" fodder,
replete with printing and mailing offers, multi-level marketing, and
other get rich quic k schemes. (S-10/MG) _
AMERICAN RATIONALIST Mar./Apr. 1991 ($1 from 2001 St.
Clair Ave., St. Louis, MO 63144): A venerable and stable journal of
freethought and rationalism. In addition to the usual book reviews
and quotes from famous freethinkers, this one looks at the "Remnants
of Early Religions in Christianity" and excavates some of the thought
of Ingersoll and G ladstone. (S-16t/MG) _
AMERICAN WINDOW CLEANER #27 ($4 from 27 Oak Creek
Rd., El Sobrante, CA 94803): This news magazine for professional
window cleaners is still growing and adding more color and features.
This issue is filled with reports from the annual IWCA convention,
including the seminars, the trade show and the winners of the
window-cleaning speed contest. They feature new products and
advice on everything from cleaning up scratches to going over the
sides of tall buildi ngs. (S-48t/MG) _
AMP #10 (50* (?) from 5525 Claremont #2, Oakland, CA 94616):
Plenty going on in this mutably-titled zine. This time around that
stands for All Movements Postponed, or perhaps Art Media Politics.
Anyhow, they print a short story about a mindless weight loss
program, some talk radio excerpts^ and bits of poetry. My favorite
part of the zine is still the back page of stupid quotes from famous
people. (L-2/MG) _
ANARCHY #28 ($2.50 from C.A.L., PO Box 1446, Columbia, MO
65205-1446): Of all the anarchist periodicals around, ANARCHY
seems to have the best selection of contacts in other countries—there
is much from eastern Europe in this issue. They also review the
small press (anarchist and otherwise) and print plenty of news and
letters from the movement. This issue has a continued Vaneigem
reprint and a reproduction of Jim Koehnline's excellent "Legend pf
the Great Dismal Maroons". (T-36t/MG)
ANDY WATSON'S IRREGULAR INDISCRETION #2 ($12/5
issues plus Age Statement from [make check payable to] WCS Books,
PO Box 4674, Englewood, CO 80155): Effrontery and audacity
permeate this limited issue zine of sex, lies and the female/male
conundrum. Not only that, but they also confuses each other
sometimes. While thinner than the last issue, it nevertheless takes
on subject matter that most regular zines don't, such as body piercing
("How To Do It"), the grossest and funniest things that ever
happened when someone urinated/vomited/retold the story, and
questions of a sexual nature that maybe even Dr. Ruth couldn't
handle. (S-18/CG) _
ANICHTI POLI #25 ($4 from AG Archive, PO Box 20037,
GR-11810 Athens, GREECE): A funloving underground paper, all in
Greek, with multi-colored printing and a lot of familiar names.
They've got zine reviews, Kerry Thornley, a page of Starhawk, homo
ludens, and much more. The layout and graphics are always
high-spirited. (A4- 48/MG) _
□ANNALS OF THE ENQUIRING Vol. 2 #2 (£7.50/6 issues from
Gerry Lovell, 8 St. John St., Wells,. Somerset, BA5 1SW, ENGLAND):
The only flaw to this Fortean journal is a truly abysmal use of
dot-matrix typefaces in a DTP setting; it various between tedious
and nearly impossible to read. That's too bad, because the subjects
are amusing, fascinating, and sometimes very different for the field
(such as their dismissal of crop circles). The history of Easter Island,
a modern vampire, radio signals from Mars, and mysterious
atmospheric booms are among the other topics. (D -24/MG)
ANTI CLOCK-WISE #14 (40p. from PO Box 175, L69 8DX,
Liverpool, UK): Ah, it's a great time to be a Situationist, or
post-Situationist; the cover of this issue is "The Ultimate TV
Spectacle", of course referring to the war. There's also a section on
time and one on glamour, plus the usual obscure graphics and
ranting. (A4-12/MG)_
□ANTISHYSTER Vol.l #2 ($25/12 issues from 9794 Forest Lane,
Box 159, Dallas, TX 75243): As the title suggests, this new monthly
is here to combat the sometimes unjudicious behavior of those who
practice the law. Much on the Texas State Bar and its caste system,
plus how profit is so often gained when justice is denied. An
ambitious start int o the muddy world of law perio dicals. (T-8t/CG)
□ANYTHING THAT MOVES #1 ($25/4 issues from BABN, 2404
California St. #24, San Francisco, CA 94115): The zine of the new
Bay Area Bisexual Network...this seems to be an idea whose time
has come, since bisexual zines and books are coming to the fore.
18
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
They've got interviews and short fiction and try to clear up some
myths and generally make a safe space for bisexuals to be, at least
while they're reading. A lot in here, and quite fascinating. (S-66t/MG)
APAEROS #33 ($2 & Age Statement from John and Kathe Burt,
960 SW Jefferson Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333): A reader-written
publication all about sex, relationships, and associated topics. There
are hot letters, comics, serious discussions of sexuality, fiction, and
other goodies here. A free-for-all forum that doesn't shy away from
topics like bondage or pedophilia. (D-32r/MG)
APA JUICE #13~(Contact Judy Wall Crump, PO Box 620, Saltillo,
MS 38866): An apa that seems centered in the SF world, to the
point of a survey of the favorite science fiction and fantasy books
of the writers here. Other topics discovered in browsing include
book reviews, ST:TNG, local crime, the war, the draft, gasoline
prices—just about anything you can fill lives with. Some original
fiction writing gets run here too. (S-139/MG) _
APA-TAROT #63 (Contact Sheila Wilding, 17645 Via Sereno,
Monte Sereno, CA 95030): I would have never predicted the great
success of this apa when it started, but now it is one of the most
vibrant and active ones around. Focused on Tarot cards, their
variations, connections and use, it's got a lot of topflight writers, a
sense of community, good production (Sheila even puts in a few
color illustrations) and vigor surpassed by none. ( S-120/MG)
APPALACHIAN ECONNECTION Spring 1991 ($1 from Appala¬
chian Earth First!, PO Box 309, Nellysford, VA 22958): A reasonably
radical environmental newsletter for people in the Appalachian
bioregion. They propose an alternative management plan for part
of the area, update people on recent actions, and maintain a calendar
of interesting even ts. (S-10/MG) _
□AQUAMARINE-24 #1 ($3 from Shannon Frach, 112 Wedgewood
#2, Morgantown, WV 26505): A sort of literary personal journal,
containing whatever Shannon wants to bring to our attention. This,
includes complaints about declining literacy, strange sexist compli¬
ments, playful structural poetry, a small dose of self-pity and plenty
more. Like readin g a flashy diary. (S-22/MG) _
AQUARIAN ALTERNATIVE #178 ($12/12 issues from 5620
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Morton St., Philadelphia, PA 19144): A peacework newsletter from
folks trying to live in harmony with the world. This issue talks
about their plans for a co-housing peace community, discuss the
Gulf war, and offe r related products for sale. (S-6 /CG)
□AR/280 #1-2 ($1 (?) from Box 55193, Valencia, CA 91385): Peculiar
mini with scattered collage and odd little phrases ("Fraternity turf
grass grew hedges in the shape of the flag on my face") that have
no outstanding theme, but it might not have been designed with
one in mind, so who am I to complain? #2 talks about the Art
Strike (as in "Strike over the head"—a noun) and wishes to "support
the artist in celebr ating suffering." (M-24r/CG)
ART CALENDAR April 1991 ($4.00 Sample copy from POBox
1040, Great Falls, VA 22066-9040): Extremely helpful journal geared
to professional artists within the working community. Each issue
contains articles dealing with diverse aspects of being an artist (this
month has an interview with William Hennessy, Jr., a courtroom
artist) plus varying opinions on what is and is not to be considered
"art" (e.g. multimedia). Also included are resources, art law topics,
organizations, and the many different grants and fellowships
available. (S-30t/CGJ_
ART-CORE #9 ($1.50 from PO Box 49324, Austin, TX 78765):
Aggressive sexual litmag not exactly bent on shocking the reader,
but more or less not being afraid to say what they want. All subjects
treated fairly and openly: phone sex, urination, tasteless jokes (Helen
Keller jokes never die)—there's Cammer and Niditch and Lifshin
and more. Also an interview with Guardez-Lou and some staunch
support for under ground zines. (S-22r/CG) _
ARTISTS WITH CLASS Vol. V #2/3 ($12/yr from 66 Jenkins Rd.,
Burnt Hills, NY 12027): A publication for artists actively involved in
the community, mainly in education. A chunk of this issue reports
on a forthcoming conference for artists in education. There is also
continued discussi on of censorship & pressure. (S- 8t/MG)
' ARTPAPER Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($20/yr from 2402 University Ave. W
#206, St. Paul, MN 55114): Art and culture news in the context of
the Twin Cities scene but expanding from there. The March issue
has Gareth Branwyn on new SF movements, a centerfold of Hmong
textiles, and the media and the war. Lots of show reviews and
listings too. April features Surrealism in the US and modern
telecommunication s history. (T-28t/MG) _
ARTPOLICE Vol. 18 #1 ($1.50 CASH from 5228 43rd Ave. S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55417): Art in the service of ideology, or at least
with a heavily political component. Shocking stuff (like war drawings
in this issue) juxtaposed with the ordinary, pictures of down and
outers next to planes bombing the USA. Always something to ponder
here. (HL-20/MG) __
ARTS ADVOCATE Vol. 5 #1 ($20/yr from Artist's Advocacy
Committee, Santa Fe Council for the Arts, 1300 Luisa St. #5, Santa
Fe, NM 87501): This one is reaching out through the wider arts
network lately while still remaining focused on Santa Fe. There is
a delightful interview in this issue discussing "Touristism"—art that
sells—plus thoughts on fees and support, a calendar of events and
deadlines, reviews and more. (S-32/MG) _
ASH #7 ($2 plus Age Statement from David R. Wyder, 121
Gregory Ave. #B-7, Passaic, NJ 07055): A literary-type quarterly that
isn't afraid of anything. This is their "Violence" issue, with the
subtitle "Make War, Make Love, Make Laws," and they mean it.
Most of the poetry and prose inside is of a sexually violent nature
which can get pretty rough at times, but it seems to be exploring
the actions of people, not encouraging them. Would have liked to
see just a few more women contribute (there are 3 out of about
30). Bold and fearl ess writing. (S-42/CG) _
ASPECTS #16 ($2 CASH from 5507 Regent St., Philadelphia, PA
19143): A zine of ways of understanding the world—ways which
are a bit far away from the center. Gematria (the study of the
numerological value of words) is one of their central themes, along
with Zen, meditati Qn, and Fulleristic geometry. (S- 18/MG)
ASYLUM Vol. 6 #3/4 ($10/2 issues from PO Box 6203, Santa
Maria, CA 93456): A litzine which one might accuse of being
postmodern—they certainly publish a wide variety of strange and
experimental works along with more mainstream stories. This "Little
Black Book" double issue is centered on sex and love, from Stephen
Dixon's clinical rape fantasy to Richard Kostelanetz's carefully-struc¬
tured "More or Less". (D-74t/MG)_
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
19
THE ATROCITY Vol. 15 #3-4 ($10/12 issues from Hank Roll,
2419 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221): For #4, THE
ATROCITY has apparently been combined with the G'RAPH—the
result being a medley of collage, binary numbers, four-dimensional
mazes, rhinos telling bad jokes and plenty more. Amusement for
the seriously dera nged MENS An. (D-32r/MG)
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT #2 ($1 from Doug Chapel, 2 Shirley
St. #3, Worcester, MA 01610): A mix of comics, short stories, and
poetic work, all hovering around the nasty side of life. Doug's clean
style adapts well to dark stories, and Chris Hagelstein's drug-besotted
visions fit right in. (D-20/MG) __
AURORA MAGAZINE Vol. 2 #3 ($2 from R.S. Haulk, Rt. 2 Box
943, Forest City, NC 28043): A magazine that is working on
encouraging people, local people, to write. This issue has some short
stories; a hopeful but painful page about a young man with cancer,
and editorial decrying bank loan practices, and more. Very forthright
writing. (T-16t/MG)_
AUTOPSY #12 ($2 from Chris Doolan, 89 Pangeza St., Stafford
Heights, Brisbane, QLD 4053, AUSTRALIA): Although Chris thinks
the past year was bland/dull/boring, he nevertheless reviews lots
and lots of horror movies with the practice of a true horror fan.
He also reviews some metal and zines, and has a tribute to horror
star Coralina Cataldi Tassoni. Did you know that The Last House on
the Left is still ban ned in Australia? (D-20r/CG)
□AVID #1 (#10 SASE from MicheleReel, 504 W 24th St., Dept
111., Austin, TX 78705-5297): A new combination personal/investiga¬
tive journal of simple living and holistic health. Most of the issue
discusses the Zendik Farm Cooperative in depth, while the rest looks
into hydrogen peroxide healing methods and thoughts on the war.
(S-8/CG) _
BABY SPLIT BOWLING NEWS Vol.2 #2.($3.75 Sample copy
[checks payable to CASH] from BSBNPublishing, POBox 7205,
Minneapolis, MN 55407): Farcical entertainment that somehow diverts
your attention from the humdrum, the ridiculous, the obscene real
life while making you realize how humdrum, how ridiculous and
how obscene real life is. There are articles lambasting some
higher-ups, calling for feminist tetherball. Bowling Hygiene in the
Old West, and promoting the doctrines of the DBA (Deviant Bowlers
of America). There's also a little history of the DBA, including such
colorful figures as Wyatt Earp and the James brothers (with a look
at cowboy bowlers, a breed unto themselves). Bowling as Virtual
Morality. (S-50/CG)_
BACKWOODS HOME MAGAZINE #9 ($17.95/yr from PO Box
2630, Ventura, CA 93002): A practical magazine for those interested
in self-sufficiency. This issue has notes on fireproofing in the woods,
building a log cabin, cooking, water systems, wind generators,
beekeeping, herb harvesting and plenty more. They also print
reviews, recipes a nd letters. (S-lOOt/MG) _
THEBAG #40 ($1 Cash/Stamps & SASE from Buddah Worthmore,
28313 58th Ave., Paw Paw, MI 49009): Some pretty singular
observations about the world as it is, but it never gets preachy or
whining. The editor deals with the "Global Village thing," talks
about being a waffle, blows off steam and writes terribly well about
music and its conditions. His "attack of ideas" should be read a
few times. (S-4r/CG)
BAHLASTI PAPERS Vol.5 #7 ($2.25 [checks to CASH] from Kali
Lodge, Ordo Templis Orientis,
POBox 15038, New Orleans, LA
70115): Rambunctious magickal
Crowleyite newsletter for the in the
know magus. The "Guest Pubaette"
talks about real life and the fitting
in of magick as far as sex and careers
go, there's another Enochian Vision,
some Thelemic chronology, and a
calendar of events. (S-7/CG)
BALDER #7 ($70/yr from 60,
Elmhurst Rd., Reading, Berkshire
RG155HY, ENGLAND): A journal of
the left hand path of magick for an
open but secret society—the high fee
discourages all but the serious. Their
interests range from esoterica of
Islam to notes on historic ritual
among the druids. Their
tradition. (D-24/MG)_
object is to rediscover a Pan-European
BALLOT ACCESS NEWS Vol. 6 #12 ($6/yr from 3201 Baker St.,
San Francisco, CA 94123): A nationwide survey of the laws that
keep third parties from having an easy time in our elections, and
the various efforts to change them. There's a lot going on in this
arena, and a lot of third parties interested, so they always have
plenty to report. ( S-8t/MG) _
□THE BALL'S EDGE ($1 Sample(?)/$5 Sample pack from DNA,
PO Box 4995, Chico, CA 95926 [Cash or M.O. only to DNA]): "Local,
regional, national and cosmic events" are covered here by some
neo-hippy types (that's purely conjecture—it only feels that way)
with a fresh attitude. They never preach, only present some
alternatives to many daily inadequacies. Hemp legalization, astrology,
vegetarian recipes, reggae music, earth day, handwritten thoughts
on Maria Montessori and the state of the US. All around information
and a general feeli ng of well-being. (T-15r/CG)
BARDIC RUNES #3 ($3.50 from Cathy Woodgold, 424 Cambridge
St. S., Ottawa, ONT, K1S 4H5, CANADA): A zine of fantasy stories
and poetry. The writers here take you to realms of myth, ancient
Greece, medieval times, and similar places. Georgette Perry's "The
House of the Sirens' Song", a classical tale, is one of the highlights
of this issue. (D-4 0t/MG) _
BASIS Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($15/yr from Bay Area Skeptics, 4030
Moraga, San Francisco, CA 94122): The voice of organized skepticism
in the San Francisco area. The March issue examines cryonics (finding
it on the borderline between science and pseudoscience), recounts
a bit of skeptic history, and considers how many psychics it takes
to change a light bulb. Lots of health stuff in April, with fluoridation,
myths surrounding pregnancy, and mercury dental fillings all coming
in for a look. (S-8 t/MG) _
BATHSHEBA #8 ($1 (?) from 3518 Weidner Ave., Oceansjde, NY
11572): An unusual and frank personal zine—talk about sex and
masturbation, happy high school graduates, an interview with a
Marine, some stream-of-consciousness writing—all written by anon¬
ymous people. The collages of 60's icons and pop culture images
(Mary Tyler Moore!!) do well in contrasting the writing itself. I liked
it. (D-24r/CG) _
BATON ROUGE/NEW ORLEANS WRESTLING CLUB NEWS¬
LETTER Winter 1990-Mardi Gras 1991 ($2 (?) from John T. Martin,
840 Hearthstone Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70806): This wrestling zine
is for doers, rather than ringside fans. They cover both mainstream
amateur wrestling and gay wrestling (a facet of the sport I hadn't
realized existed, but it makes sense when you think about it). Lots
of photos and contact addresses here, and not just in Louisiana.
(HL-20t/MG) _
THE BEAT CYCLE REVIEW #2 ($1 (?)0 from Fido von Sydo,
Anarchy University PO Box 3082, Portsmouth, NH 03801): Who
knows what you'll Find in these pages? In this issue, there is poetry
(including an ode to unused sperm), reflections on Nietzsche and
personal responsibility, and a prayer to exacerbate depression.
Cynical and darkly humorous. (D-16r/MG) _
BEATRIX #3 (93[cents] cash or stamps from Cris Rowles, PO
Box 1581, Albany, NY 12201): A crowded little zine of rampant
clippings about hippies, space aliens, psychic abilities, "Bob," comics
by Gary Gordon, poetry by Sigmund Weiss and Ronald Edward
you
ST/IMP
SH it !
20
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Kittell, a reprint of a nasty hate letter to Paul Weinman, and assorted
vegetarian philosophy. Some psychedelic collage and art give it a
freewheeling feel. (D-14r/CG)
□BEING Vol.3 #1 ($3.00 Sample issue from POBox 417, Oceanside,
CA 92049-0417): "A Celebration of Spirit, Body and Mind" contains
much spiritual poetry, short fiction and articles. The articles discuss
various aspects of accord and personal piety such as Kundalini Yoga,
"safe" psychism and how to stay cool when you are mad. The print
is sometimes a litt le muddy. (HL-28r/CG) _
BELLOWING ARK Vol. 7 #2 ($2 from PO Box 45637, Seattle,
WA 98145): A litmag that has survived seven years through a
combination of factors—including careful and friendly editorial work
as well as a fine selection of writers and poets. They continue their
latest serialized novel in this issue, along with work from' Sherry
Brandon, Judith Goodrich, Maura Stokes and many other voices who
don't seem to be everywhere in the small press. (T-24t/MG)
□THE BEST NEWS OF THE WEEK #1,#11-15 (SASE, stamps,
things you steal from work, etc.] from Radio Werewolf High
Command, Buenaventura Durruti Column Branch, PO Box 75416,
Washington, D.C. 20013): Situationism for the masses..no, not really
for the masses, but at last there is a situationist extract that I find
comprehensible (that is, they use smaller words). Calling itself "an
alternative press alternative to the alternative press," these radio
werewolves offer broadsheet views on the programmed sale of video
tapes, spear the government, call a case for television, "Meet The
Press," voting procedures, Saddam vs. Hitler, and lots more political
trotting. The editors state that requesters are free to xerox and even
take credit for their words, which I may yet do. (A4-1/CG)
BETWEEN THE LINES Vol. 3 #2 ($1 (?) from Sacramento Peace
Center, 1917A 16th St., Sacramento, CA 95814): This is a special
issue, apparently taken over by the local youthful peace movement.
It's full of marginal scribbling and great articles—and a "fuclc you"
letter to the paper that refused to print it. Perhaps the peace
movement has bui lt up some new momentum. (T -12t/MG)
BIG DUCK ZINE #2-3 ($1.50 each from Thadicus Robinson, 1100
Howe Avenue, Apt. 255, Sacramento, CA 95825): A punk zine of
hometown origin and a nasty punk facade. A strange but true
combination. There are lots of messy spots, but the content is sincere:
a punk's life, memories of a certain "migraine porch," what school
is really like (he was trying to be positive about it), interviews with
Asbestos Death and Crimpshrine and a general feeling of energetic
isolation in the 'b urbs. (S-25/CG) _
BIG FOREHEAD EXPRESS Vol.2 #l($10/yr from Incite Informa¬
tion, POBox 17406, Arlington, VA 22216): News analysis from behind
the mainstream press. They cover a lot of topics ignored by the
rest and aren't afraid. This issue has much to say about the "New
World Order" and the consequences that may bring, an excellent
article on Muslim women and overpopulation, contaminated water
in the prison system and people who get "buried" in the regular
news. (D-19t/CG)_
BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER Mar. 1991 ($5 from Judith A. Wells,
Rt. 2 Box 309B, Vilas, NC 28692): This is where Commander Kortron,
mouthpiece for Ashtar, keeps us all posted on the coming cosmic
battles between good and evil and the key parts to be played in it
by lightworkers on Earth. It makes for incredibly strange New Age
reading. They also run a computer BBS at 704-297-5973 if you want
to check this sort of thing out on-line. (D-16r/MG)
□THE BLACKLIST Vol. Ill #10 ($1 (?) from PO Box 1417, Salt
Lake City, UT 84101): "This has been a test of the emergency
weirdness system", it says on the front page, and that pretty well
sums it up. There's an essay demanding freedom for psychoactive
vegetables, a White Boy booklet, a strange ontological romp, and
some short poetry. Fun alternative lit. (S-8t/MG)
BLIND IGUANA PRESS #6 ($5/6 issues from 513 Corby Ave.,
South Bend, IN 46617): A literary zine in a nutshell—one tri-folded
piece of paper, to be more precise. There's a cute poem here about
the fairy-tale nature of George Bush's wars, plus a rambling story
about a peasant not making much impact on the world. (S-2t/MG)
BLIP #138-139 ($8.75/yr from Joka Press, PO Box 74, Nokomis,
IL 62075): A Brave Little Impossible Publication it may be, but it's
also a long-lived one. Joe Kempe contributes plenty of humor, though
sometimes he gets serious, as in his "Hug Jugs" plan for easing
the California drought in the 138th issue. Baseball history, limericks
to complete, comics, musings on the war and more are all a part
of the fun here. (D-40t/MG)
THE BLOATED TICK Vol. 5 #2-3 (SASE and 29* stamp from
Paul Dion, 24 S. Main St., South Grafton, MA 01560-1133): A
collection of mail art and goofy stuff. Paul is after people's photos
and other goodies, prints bizarre written works, and creates phony
paper money. Weird stuff. Great for you people suffering from mail
art withdrawal now that we've cut back our listings here. (S-14/MG)
BLOWOUT Spring 1991 ($2 from Chris Purcell, 6 Riverside Dr.,
Asheville, NC 28801): A skatezine with a lot of style and a great
sense of design. Starting with a patterned transparent cover, they
feature tons of photos of young men flying through the air, diagrams
of skate parks, an d so on. Classy. (S-36/MG)
B.L.T. ($1 (?) from Deirdre Williamson, 2905 Piney Grove Ct.,
Fairfax, VA 22031): The initials stand for BLACK LEATHER TIMES
or maybe Bitterness, Love and Torture—the latter is what you'll find
in here, with a healthy dose of sarcastic humor involved. This is
the Valentine's Day/Deviant Sex issue, with notes on crossdressing,
a "lover's lexicon" (what they really mean when they say "Sure, I'll
call you sometime"), not-quite confidential advice letters, and a
crossword puzzle for sexual deviants. I wonder what they'll do for
their Mother's Day issue. (D-12r/CG) _
BLUEPRINT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Vol. XLIV #6-7 (Donation
from Loyola IHR, Loyola University, Box 12, New Orleans, LA
70118): A newsletter that covers a wide variety of peace and social
justice issues. #6 concentrates on workplace safety. #7 is about
hosing, more specifically about cohousing, the new idea that is
gaining rapidly in popularity in this country. It's nice to see an
update on what's happened since THE COHOUSING BOOK was
published. (S-8t/C G/MG) _
BLUE RYDER #17 ($15/yr from POBox 587, Olean, NY. 14760):
Selections from other publications withno particular order or theme,
except that they are all small or micro press periodicals. This issue
has reprints fromPEACEWORK,THE SHADOW, LIVING
FREE,FIJACTIVIST and more. Kind of aREADER'S DIGEST of the
underground. Potential traders should note that their stand on
copyrights is unconventional (& illegal); unless you specifically forbid
reprints, they assume that you don't mind.) (S-34/CG/MG)
BLUE SWAN NOTES Spring 1991 ($1 from PO Box 9925, San
Diego, CA 92169): This one tracks catalogs for the dedicated mail
order buyer. This time around it's "A Brief Look at Shoe & Boot
Catalogs", with sources for everything from handmade English
chamois boots to Birkenstocks to animal-free shoe s. (D-4/MG)
THE BLUMENFELD EDUCATION LETTER Vol. 6 #2-3 ($36/12
issues from PO Box 45161, Boise, ID 83711): A monthly newsletter
about education, arguing against a lot of the innovations in current
vogue. #2 returns to absolute basics, discussing various methods of
teaching reading and arguing once again that phonics is superior to
later developments such as the "whole language" method. #3 is a
bit disturbing, a lecture from the editor condemning premarital sex
and homosexuality as "perverse" and encouraging a Biblical code of
morality. (S-8t/MG)_
□THE BODY POLITIC Vol. 1 #1-3 ($15/12 issues from AB
Publications, PO Box 2363, Binghamton, NY 13902): A monthly report
of news from the pro-choice front in New York state. Editor Anne
Bower collects recent news on Operation Rescue and similar groups,
tracks legislation, and talks to politicians working to preserve choice.
She also goes over the legislative history of things like Title X. An
excellent resource. (S-32/MG)
BOGUS #5 ($1 from 14227 Eventide, Cypress, TX 77429): A
collection of rather gross newspaper clippings and a few porno zine
covers for good measure. There are dead Bundys, two-headed
infants, gross crimes, and lots more in the same vein. (S-lOt/MG)
BOOKS ARE EVERYTHING #17 ($7.50 from R.C. and Elwanda
Holland, 302 Martin Dr., Richmond, KY 40475): A fat zine for the
collector of classic vintage paperback books. The major article in this
issue is a look at the books of Wilson "Bob" Tucker, SF and fan
writer. They also print plenty of cover shots and checklists, plus an
active letter section. This issue also starts a series on the history of
the paperback. (S- 72/MG) _
BORDERLINE NEWS Jan.-Mar. 1991 ($1 (?) from PO Box 3349,
Phenix City, AL 36868-3349): A zine of humor, tourism, music and
entertainment for the Columbus and Phenix City areas. The January
issue has a visit to what's left of the Confederate Navy and some
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
21
lighthearted predictions for the future. March has a butterfly center
and a book review about animated cartoons. Events calendar in each
issue. (S-16t/MG) _
BORDER/LINES”#19 ($16/4 issues from Bethune College, York
University, 4700 Keele St., North York, ONT, M3J 1P3, CANADA):
A fine and intricate journal of cultural exploration. This issue is
mainly about prison culture, and they do a good job of exploring
it. There is a wonderful article on penal publications, a look at the
commodification of the Berlin Wall, and a discussion of the psychiatric
survivor zine PHO ENIX RISING. (Q-48t/MG)
THE BOTTLEROCKET HOUSE OF STONES #11-12(SASE from
Karl Myers, 1020 Seneca B-3, Seattle, WA 98101): Commentary and
opinion on a two-sided broadsheet on matters of recent or cultural
consequence. Serious considerations about the Doors movie (solid
perception, I think), a local zoning meeting and the feeling of being
violated, and an add-on "disclaimer" to a previous column about
getting along in the workplace—with..er..alternative suggestions
included. (L-2r/CG)_
BRAIN CANCER #6 ($1.50 from Mike Canich, POBox 31, Romeo,
MI 49065): More cool art and aching Zeitgeist from Mike. Art is
intense for the most part (except for a political strip), there's
comments on the war and the reviews he keeps getting—besides
his own reviews o f things and other feelings let l oose. (S-21/CG)
THE BRAIN CENTER NEWSLETTER #7 (new series)($5/yr from
PO Box 795, Berkeley, CA 94701): This one is for folks in the SF
Bay area interested in exploring the big questions. The Brain Center
is a group of folks who get together for deep & explorative lectures,
and this newslette r tells them what's upcoming. (S -8t/MG)
BRICK #6 (50* from PO Box 1153, Russellville, AL 35653): A
journal of anarchist protest. This issue has an anti-war focus,
including news stories about the editor being arrested protesting the
bombing (and found guilty of flag desecration). There is also some
news of various cl ass war prisoners. (D-8/MG)
□BULK MALE Vol. 1 #1 ($24.95/4 issues from Big Bull Inc., PO
Box 300352, Denver, CO 80203): A new magazine for men who like
other men of the large variety. The explicit photos here feature
plenty of pot bellies, large male breasts, facial and body hair—as
the cover puts it, "Tons of hot men". They've also got a personal
ads section, some short fiction, and an ad for a BBS devoted to
"gay and bi chubb ies and chasers". (S-40t/MG)
BVI-CENTRAL #10-2 ($1 or transit paraphernalia from J. LeRoy,
PO Box 95984, Seattle, WA 98145-2984): There's a section heading
in this issue that sums up J.'s demeanor rather well: "Ramblings of
an Angry Young Man". Besides talking about the pros and cons of
direct action and of course opposing the war, he gets maudlin about
a dead friend. Also available is his BVI-CENTRAL SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS VII, recounting a hellish trip to Las Vegas.
(D-20t/MG) _
□BYOD #2-3 (The Usual from 825 42nd St., Rock Island, IL
61201): The editors don't know what the initials stand for (if you
do, tell 'em), and that only adds more flavor to the curious and
clever concept of this opinion zine. Their statement of purpose in
#3 reads "To make fun of ourselves, and thus to overcome otherwise
unconquerable pride," and one reader calls them "a couple of
intellectual thugs." There are Notes on Human Nature, the history
of the "Enemy Gene," why one guy is glad safe drugs are illegal,
and a terrific articl e on the nature of cynicism. (H L-ll/CG)
□BYOKI #1 ($1.00 from Mike Canich, PO Box 31, Romeo, MI
48065): The editor of BRAIN CANCER expands here with the same
unrefined expressives that seem to be aching for
answers to unanswerable questions. His artistic style is
graphic and sometimes even tortured (there is a short
comic/story about, I assume, incest), but he loves
Bong water, so ho w depressed can he be? (D-16r/C G)
CAMPUS REVIEW Vol. 7 #2-3 ($5/yr from 336 S.
Clinton #16, Iowa City, IA 52240): Well, the war was
over by the time #2 came out, but that didn't stop
them from putting Hussein in a hangman's noose on
the cover, useful Iraqi phrases on the back, and slams
at the anti-war crowd inside. Most interesting is a spread
where they rebut the claims of U.S. Out point by point,
doing a pretty good job of it. #3 lauds Seventh
Generation for their essentially free-market approach to
environmentalism. (T-20t/MG) _
CAN WE #47 (Donation from POBox 2152, Coeur d'Alene, ID
83814-1913): A grassroots anti-nuclear newsletter devoted to dispers¬
ing information about nuclear armaments and the dangers involved.
This issue takes an international look at radioactive contamination
and a medical boy cott of General Electric. (A4-2/C G)
CARIBBEAN NEWSLETTER Vol. 11 #1-3 ($10/yr from Friends
For Jamaica, PO Box 20392, Park West Sta., New York, NY 10025):
A collection of news bits about the various countries in the Caribbean.
Being a progressive sort of zine, they took a page or two off here
to protest the Gulf War, but then it was back to the situation in
Guyana, the continuing legal maneuvers in Grenada, and so on.
(S-10/MG) _
THE CARING CONNECTION Vol. 7 #3 ($13.50/yr from Phyllis
A. Burns, 3060 Bridge St. #342, Brighton, CO 80601): News and
ideas for the handicapped and those who care for them. They track
new products, FDA rulings, legal and medical news. There are also
short essays and poetry—#3 has a touching story from Sheryll
Axelrod about gro wing up with a slow brother. (S -6/MG)
THE CARNIFEX NETWORK Vol. 1 #3 ($1 from PO Box 479164,
Chicago, IL 60647): A zine which seems mainly designed to shock,
and it will probably succeed—as with the few page story excerpt
graphically describing oral sex with a dog. There's a wild Gaither
cover, Lorri Jackson poetry, reviews of new music, and all sorts of
other wild things here. (S-16t/MG) _
THE CAROLINA CRITIC 2/8-22/91 ($20/yr from 01 Steele Bldg.,
CB 5100, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC 27599): A bi-weekly campus paper
that gains momentum with each issue. While not really alternative,
the student reporters and commentators discuss world, domestic,
and campus topics a little conservatively and throw in some healthy
skepticism and sardonics. Here they talk about student elections,
the brutality waged in the Baltic region, whether or not smokers
have any rights and the editor selection process for another student
paper. (S-15t/CG) __
CARTOON MARKETS Apr.-May 1991 ($3 from Loyal Pallady,
90 W. Winnipeg Ave. #1, St. Paul, MN 55117-5428): A zine for the
professional (or, I suppose, serious amateur) cartoonist. It's mainly
business-oriented, with the bulk of this issue devoted to continuing
an alphabetical list of paying markets. They also publish ideas on
working with gag-writers, submitting material, and so on. (S-10/MG)
CATALYST #4 ($3 SASE from People's Art Movement, 511 E.
Mariposa #16, Phoenix, AZ 85012): A litmag on steroids, bulking
up fast thanks to the policies of the People'^ Art Movement. They
believe in complete relativism and printing everything. As a result
there is tons of poetry here, a short story, an essay, and lots of
visual works. Unedited and rough in spots, but there are gems to
be found. (HL-128 r/MG) _
THE CATALYST Vol.4 #5 ($1 (?) from CB #5115, Y Building,
UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599): A student publication
from the group at UNC who remain slightly left of center (politically,
that is). They talk about politically correctness and peace movements,
the duality of the Support Troops/Support War paradox, and an
excellent writer-exc hange piece on Afrocentricity. ( S-24t/CG)
CEHSOIKOE #12 ($1 from John Porcellino, 1954 Brookside Ln.,
Hoffman Estates, IL 60194): A litzine that carries quite a variety of
work, mostly poetry but with sprinklings of prose like Tim Coats'
story with a twist and some personal history from Sigmund Weiss.
Stacey Sollfrey and John m. Bennett are on the extreme end of the
poetic confusion here, with Ronald Edward Kittell and Jonathan
Levant balancing them out. (D-36r/MG) _
22
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
THE CENSORSHIP CHRONICLE #7 ($3.00 from Nathaniel-M.
Naske, POBox 80721, Fairbanks, AK 99708): The exceptional college
zine that changes it's second title word with each issue. And calling
it a college zine doesn't really do it justice, anyway. These are the
best and the brightest of the younger marginals who tackle such
weighty subjects with surprising results such as censorship in all
areas, a travelling sage of doom (related to censorship), animal
rights, the debate between Liddy and Leary, just what "politically
correct" means in the Green Party and the usual expansive zine,
movie, music and book review section. Choice. (S -52r/CG)
CENSORSHIP NEWS #38 ($25/yr from NCAC, 2 W. 64th St.,
New York, NY 10023): The newsletter of the National Coalition
Against Censorship, a group dedicated to preserving our rights of
free speech. Topics in this issue include textbooks, die latest antics
of Don Wildmon, and the gag rule in pregnancy counseling centers
that get public fun ds. (S-4t/MG) __
CES NEWSLETTER Vol.3 #5-7 ($12/yr from POBox 7091, Burbank,
CA 91510-7091): A monthly newsletter from the Church of the Eternal
Source, a pagan group with devotion to Ancient Egyptian religion.
There's always a calendar of events, notes on past and present
members, and editorials ranging from an analysis of a 12-step
program from a pagan point of view to the appearance of Middle
Eastern paranoia in the minds of Americans these days and pleas
to avoid it. Always a friendly source of Wiccan info rmation. (S-9/CG)
CFRA BULLETIN #90 ($1 (?) from Bob Kirlin,East 7609 Marietta,
Spokane, WA 99212): The publication of the College Football
Researchers Association which lists statistics, important games played
in history, and other college football analysis. This issue has the
final poll games with statistical research and dates played. For the
true football lover and statistician. (S-20r/CG)
CHANGE #221 (Sample on request from The Synergetic Society,
1825 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27514): Synergetics is a
way of looking at the world, and a way of advancing into a higher
state of consciousness. They're happy to teach anyone who wants
to learn, and will gladly get you started with a sample issue. This
one contains some analysis of the disease of milit arism. (S-20/MG)
THE CHAOS NETWORK Vol. 3 #1 ($49/4 issues from People
Technologies, 200 Lincoln Sq., PO Box 4007, Urbana, IL 61801): A
newsletter which investigates the potential of chaos theory as a tool
for organizational understanding. Jeffrey Goldstein's work on
nonequilibrium systems is the highlight of this issue. Non-technical
readers might appreciate the explanation of the three different schools
of Chaos theory which seem to be developing in this end of the
field. (S-16t/MG)
CHEAP RELIEF Vol. 4 #3-4 ($48/yr from Jean Lawrence, PO Box
11501, Washington, DC 20008-0701): This one is for "professional
communicators", mostly those in a corporate or marketing position.
Jean hunts up things worth reading and knowing about, from the
basics of corporate video to a good book on getting commitment
to goals. Looks useful for the busy person without time to keep
scanning everythin g. (S-4/MG) _
CHEESE #3 ($1.75 from Lord Gregory, 528 Andros Ln., Indian
Harbour Bch., FL 32937): A zine devoted tot he cheesy side of
culture, from Saturday Night Fever and Stayin' Alive down to modern
bands (like Red Soda) working in the cheesy tradition. This issue
also features Heinous Beinfang & His Cheap Moves, plus a few
pages on chia pet s and some comics. (D-20/MG)
CHOKEHOLD #30 ($1 from Lance LeVine, 507 W. 43rd PL,
Chicago, IL 60609): One of the funniest—or maybe the word should
be "screwiest"—of the wrestling zines. Lance leads off with his own
adventures; in #30 he's recently escaped from jail, and in search of
the evil Black Kayfabe. Later the readers get into the act, with plenty
of letters and silly ideas. (S-10/MG) _
THE CHOPPING BLOCK #17 ($1 from Kit Lively, Rt. 2, Box
146, Celina, TX 75009): A little thinner but still fun to roam through.
Humor newsletter with the "Valerie Bertinelli Seal of Approval," Kit
doesn't care who he lampoons—the "Psychi Sausage," Marilyn
Monroe (really!) giving study lessons. He's also got pals Joe Workman
and Tom Winer helping out on this one—kind of the funny old boy
network. (S-10/CG) ___
CHRISTIAN*NEW AGE QUARTERLY Vol. 3 #2 ($3.50 from
Bethsheva's Concern, PO Box 276, Clifton, NJ 07011-0276): A zine
that tries to reconcile Christianity with the New Age—since, among
other things, Jesus is viewed as a teacher in both traditions. This
issue has a fascinating lead article by Robert Price arguing that
neo-pagans should try reviving what he calls "Corn-King Christian-
ity", plus plenty more to think about. (HL-20/MG)
CHRISTIAN VISION Apr. 1991 ($5/4_issues from Skysong Press,
RR1 Washago, ONT, L0K 2B0, CANADA): A specialized market
newsletter, this one is for writers seeking Christian publications to
submit their work to. Along with the market listings (many paying)
they run the occasional short essay or piece on what Christian
writing is all abou t. (D-12t/MG) _
THE CLERMONT NUZ Vol.6 #1 ($1 (?) from Box 69, Clermont,
IA 52135): A personal and sincere endeavor facing a number of
consequences of our society with subtly and charm. "Good-byes"
traces the history of our involvement with Saddam in conjunction
with the actual goodbyes to friends in the war, offers a tree-planting
effort in the town, and prints a cute story about a dad and his
cookie-eating kids. Students of all ages are encouraged to contribute.
(S-4/CG) _
COALITION FOR PRISONERS' RIGHTS NEWSLETTER Vol. 16
#2-3 (Donation from PO Box 1911, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1911): A
collection of inmate letters and other material pertaining to issues
of civil rights for those who happen to be behind bars. They report
much petty harassment, some systematic abuse, and the occasional
victory. The death penalty
is a continuing concern
here. (HL-8/MG) _
COFFEE & DONUTS
($1.00 from POBox 6920,
Alexandria, VA 22306): A
fanzine for the Twin Peaks
fan. This issue is mostly
devoted to the uncertain
future of the program, with
bits and pieces of gossip
thrown in. They also have
an article on how TP fares
in the UK and a column of
"American Chronicles." (D-
7/CG) _
COLTSFOOT Vol. XII
#2 ($2 from Box 313A,
Shipman, VA 22971): A zine
of wild plants and their
uses. Much of this issue is
about the noble Mullein
plant, but the writers also
review books, discuss a va¬
riety of wild greens, and
swap notes on what's good
•'A.C.Peare
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
23
to eat and what isn't. Medicinal and other uses also come into play
here. (D-24r/MG) _
□COMBAT #1 ($6/yr from ALFSG, Box 42, 10024-82 Ave.,
Edmonton, AB, T6E 1Z3, CANADA): A newsletter from a new
branch of the Animal Liberation Front Support Group, the
aboveground arm of the direct-action oriented ALF. It's full of news
briefs of McDonald's bombings and arrests around the world. They
also offer various bits of literature for sale (S-16/MG)
COMBAT SPORTS #125 ($12/6 issues from Michael O'Hara, PO
Box 651, Gracie Sta., New York, NY 10028-0006): Wrestling and
roller derby come together here—though as Michael admits in this
issue, roller sports are moribund in the US just now. But that leaves
all the more room for wrestling gossip and action, condensed to an
informative no frills approach. (HL-16/MG)
COMIX WAVE #104-105 ($9/12 issues from Clay Geerdes, PO
Box 7094, Berkeley, CA 94707): Commentary and opinion on comics
and just about any other part of popular culture that catches Clay's
eye. In these issues he talks a bit about small press reactions to
the war, looks back at the history of the Nickelettes, and prints
some amusing qu otes. (S-2t/MG) _
COMMUNIQUE AFTER DARK #4 ($1.25 from Inspiracy Press,
PO Box 523, Columbia Station, OH 44028-0523): With this issue
Rodney Eric Griffith becomes the latest publisher to announce his
withdrawal from "the fringe". He does so mainly by publishing
back-to-back critical evaluations of FF by Bob Black, the late Gerry
Reith, and himself—the gist of which is that we are not mean enough
to their enemies. (D-12t/MG)
□COMMUNIST DINER Vol. 2 #1 ($6/6 issues from 1187 Wilmette
Ave. #640, Wilmette, IL 60091-2776): A collection of material from
all over the zine world. This includes a couple of PBM diplomacy
games, strange comics, music reviews, poetry and silliness. A wide
net without a lot of focus yet. (D-24t/MG) _
COMMUNITY Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($25/yr from PO Box 131, Albany,
NY 12201): A monthly newsletter for the gay and lesbian community
and their supporters in the Albany area. Much of the news in the
March issue is political, and a bit worrisome: lack of representation
on the Police-Community Relations Board, and Dan Ritchie's
continuing struggle with harassing landlords. (S-8t/MG)
COMPOST NEWSLETTER Eostre 91 ($2 Check/MO ONLY from
Valerie Walker (for CNL), 729 5th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118):
A neopagan zine which proudly announces on the cover "Give me
levity or give me death". Inside, there is much debate over Otter
Zell's proposal to pick a pagan panel for an upcoming ecumenical
conference, more magical recipes, another take on the Faery tradition,
and lots more. (H L-20t/MG) _
□CONCRETE CULTURE #2 ($16/6 issues from 2141-C Mission
St. #305, San Francisco, CA 94110-1280): An oversized zine of
politically correct essays and literature. This issue takes a shot at
starting a progressive history of the Gulf War, seeing it as the start
of a slow WWIII and arguing that our views of it have already been
distorted by the media. Another section pays homage to the
Palestinian Intifada. They also include short stories, poetry, comics
and critical reviews. (0-64t/MG)
□CONFEREE Vol. 1 #2-Vol. 2 #1 ($39.95/6 issues from Gerosota
Productions, 3530 Pine Valley Dr., Sarasota, FL 34239): This is a
newsletter aimed at convention speakers and others who use their
thoughts and voice in a professional setting, with freebies to clients
of The Speaker's Connection. It includes notes on who has landed
speaking jobs lately, a page of body language, and short quips.
(S-4t/MG) __
THE CONNECTION #172 ($2.50 from Erwin S. Strauss, PO Box
3343, Fairfax, VA 22038): Tons of continuing discussion on
far-reaching topics, loosely structured around a libertarian world
view. Current hot topics include cryonics, physics, proprietary
communities, economics (mainstream and otherwise) and whether
certain contributors have any brains at all. Often feisty, often
interesting. (D-96r/MG)
CONNECTIONS Mar. 1991 ($20/6 issues from PO Box 684,
Bangor, ME 04401): This is the newsletter of the Action Linkage
Mac Users Group. Other than a truly awful habit of running text
on either side of graphics, it reads well, and seems directed at
beginning users as well as those who already know how to do
things. There are product reviews, helpful hints and shortcuts, and
the occasional political article, as with the notes on Prodigy and free
speech in this issu e. (S-12t/MG) _
CONSCIOUSNESS #2 (SASE from PO Box 7442, Columbus, GA
31908-7442): A zine of general pondering about life and other stuff.
This issue features a short story in which the lack of sleep turns
out to be a curse, a column railing against war and murder and
stuff, and some bits of poetry. They say they're very open to
unsolicited material too. (S-4t/MG)
CONTACT! Mar. 1991 ($20/yr from The Humanist Fellowship of
San Diego, PO Box 87662, San Diego, CA 92138): A listing of
humanist events in Southern California, along with short news notes
and commentaries. They're not afraid to get a bit controversial, as
with the blurb opposing gun control in this issue on the grounds
that Hussein is fo r it. (S-4t/MG) _
□CONTACT BOX #1 ($1 from Ryszard Kapusta, POBox 47, 36-100
Kolbuszowa, Woj. Rzeszow POLAND): An English-written listing of
penpal hopefuls around the world, mostly in Eastern Europe. The
first of its kind in Poland, most listings represent a fair sampling
of the people who wish for some contacts, music buddies and
international companions. Also has a "Guide Around Poland," a
small directory of zine, band, and mail art addresses. (D-16r/CG)
CONTRABAND #2 ($1 & a stamp from Jared, 20263 Saticoy #13,
Canoga Park, CA 91306): A zine of humor, music and creativity,
from a batch of students out west. This issue has a great drawing
of the ultimate straightedge band concert, comics including such
cheerful subjects as roadkills and vomit, a weird advice column,
notes on getting into a local college, poetry and more. Amusing
and sometimes th oughtful. (D-24r/MG) _
CONVERGING PATHS Spring 1991 ($4 from Three Sisters, ltd.,
PO Box 63, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572): A pagan zine which tends to go
into serious discussions of the Craft (though they also know how
tO‘ be lighthearted—check the continued fiction of Etheriul* Scriv¬
ener). This issue considers further the validity of pagan initiations,
suggests ways to evaluate the clergy of your own pagan church,
and continues teac hing the basic laws of magic(k) . (S-32/MG)
CO-OP AMERICA QUARTERLY Spring 91 ($2.00 single issue
from 2100 M St., NW Suite 403, Washington, DC 20063): A
member-controlled collective devoted to educating and informing on
socio-economic issues of the day, including many alternatives to the
traditional business and lifestyle methods we now employ. Articles
include ways of becoming self-reliant on goods and produce, farmer
and consumer partnerships and building co-housing communities.
They offer an entire range of goods and services, from their catalog
to life insurance. (S-39t/CG)
CORPUS CHRISTI MARINER NEWS #22-23 ($1 from PO Box
1960, Corpus Christi,' TX 78403): For members of the Merchant
Marine in and around the cost of Texas. It offers friendly news and
gossip, what's been happening with various sea lift operatives, and
adds it's own witty flavor to the likes of military cuisine. Page two
is a series of reprints from mainstream papers mainly about lawsuit
settlements, from bus wrecks to asbestos exposure . ((L-2/CG)
COUNTER INFORMATION #30 (Donation from 52 Call Lane,
Leeds, UK): An anarchist publication which is heavily into promoting
class war and a complete overthrow of the system; no armchairs
here. It concentrates mostly on news from the UK, with some
international notes as well, and was one of the leading sources of
news on poll tax resistance. (A4-4/MG)
□COURTESAN #1 ($1 from Allin, PO Box 60254, Oklahoma City,
OK 73146): A zine with no clear focus, apparently a mix of whatever
caught Allin's eye. This includes a reprinted Gwar interview, poetry,
mail-arty pictures, anti-Subgeniality, and some cranky record reviews.
For 10* & an SASE he'll send you a postcard of his wedding photos.
(D-20r/MG)
CP APR Vol. VII #1 (Donation from PO Box 26, Swain, NY
14884-0026): The full name here is an acronym for Coalition to Protect
Animals in Parks and Refuges. They're a group opposed to allowing
hunting and trapping in so-called wildlife sanctuaries which does
seem to be a sensible position. Short news items are intermixed
with calls for spec ific actions. (S-8t/MG) _
□CRABBY TIMES (50tf & SASE from Peachy Carnahan, PO Box
571, Greenwood Lake, NY 10925): A collection of newspaper
headlines rearranged into new meanings, snippets of religious tracts,
and so on. Also includes some hand-drawn additions to your Tarot
24
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
deck and a couple of stickered and colored pages . (D-12/MG)
CREATIVE ALTERNATIVES NEWSLETTER Vol. 4 #3-4 ($3 from
Pyramid Research Center, PO Box 478, Odenton, MD 21113): A
newsletter of fringe science, accelerated learning, and health news.
#3 suggests a way to learn languages fast by brinwashing yourself.
#4 has an article on how nuclear bombs only work on intersections
on Earth's energy grid and one on hyperoxygenation therapy. While
always ready to consider out of the ordinary ideas, they do give
references for those who want to check things out for themselves.
(S-8t/MG) _
□CREEPY GUYS FROM OUTER SPACE (WITH EVIL LAUGHS)
#1 (2 stamps and "something to print" from Fritz Schneider, PO
Box 190101, Savannah, GA 31419): A zine with no apparent purpose,
trolling for more submissions. This one has some comics, paranoid
rants, photos of so me busty gal, and a surreal short story. (D-12/MG)
CRITICAL WAVE #20 ($25/6 issues from Mary Burns, 23
Kensington Ct., Hempstead, NY 11550): The British zine of SF news
and commentary (Mary is the US agent) continues to grow and
improve. They review books, list zines and clubs, and print lots of
news. Don Wollheim's death, an interview with Raymond Gallun,
and Star Trek stuff are big in this issue. (A4-32t/M G)
CROOKED SMILE CRACKED LIPS #2 ($1 from Claire, 7103
Oakwood Glen #15, Spring, TX 77379): A zine of Claire's own literary
output, and it has barbed-wire edges. She writes small slices of
observation of painful lives: transvestite hookers, people beaten
down, bits of horror from the black nights of the soul. Not entirely
bleak, but not very cheerful either. (D-16/MG)
CROSS CURRENTS #12 ($2 from CrossRoads of Buffalo, 2316
Delaware Ave. #102, Buffalo, NY 14216): CrossRoads is a service
and support group for the gender dysphoric community—for the
most part transsexuals and transvestites. This issue has son\e
commentary on oppression faced by various people in this situation,
s well as the blunt facts from a doctor who does m-to-f surgery.
They also print a list of contacts and groups. (S-12t/MG)
CRYONICS Vol. 12 #2-4 ($3.50 from Alcor, 12327 Doherty St.,
Riverside, CA 92503): The newsletter of what seems to be the best
organized, and rapidly becoming the best known, of the cryonics
groups. #3 reports on the suspension of another patient, considers
the solvency of life insurance companies, and has plenty of news
and ideas about surviving long-term into the future. #4 has the
current Alcor financial report and some projections of their future
growth. (S-32t/MG)_
CULTURAL SURVIVAL QUARTERLY Vol.15 #1 ($25.00 mem¬
bership from 53-A Church St., Cambridge, MA 02138): Important
glossy devoted to addressing issues for and about indigenous peoples
around the world. Usually that means third world countries and
tribal and ethnic minorities. Articles represent a concerned effort to
inform and elucidate on matters that policy makers don't always
look into. This issue has a fascinating article on the "Tasaday" hoax,
in which a previously undiscovered Philippino "tribe" was found to
have been induced into staging their "stone-age" lifestyle. Another
relates the cultural impact and misleading aspects given to the
otfMe i9H», 23H: rue sauces^ swt a human.
so-labelled "Bushm en" of Botswana. (S-64t/CG)
CULTWATCH RESPONSE Vol. 3 #2 ($2 from PO Box 1842,
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1842): A newsletter written by Wiccans
who are also involved with law enforcement, continuously trying to
sort out the various disinformation spread about "Satanic crimes"
and the like. They demolish current popular myths, review books
in the field, and examine stories of those who think they've
uncovered a vast and sinister network. A good antidote to hysteria.
(HL-16/MG) _
□THE DAILY SAM ($1 (?) from Sam Helm, 495 West 186th St.,
Apt. 5E, New York, NY 10033): Sam's contribution to GOLDEN
APA and TRUTH, two apas he writes for. They are mostly excerpts
from his diary which include his dreams, his various sicknesses,
and his impressions on everything from morning erections to fandom.
In the midst of all this he also reviews the latest sf he's read.
(S-13/CG) _
□DAN'S PAPERS 2/8-2/22/91 ($2.00 (?) from PO Drawer AR,
Bridgehampton, NY 11932): A friendly local weekly from the
Hamptons resort area on Long Island. Besides offering the usual
arts, entertainment and dining info, there's quite a variety of articles
relating to the war, health and fitness, travels abroad, book reviews
and what winter is like i n this summer-based comm unity. (T-28t/CG)
DARK LILY #12 (£2 from BCM Box 3406, London WC1N 3XX,
ENGLAND): A calm and reasonable Satanist zine, generally in line
with the LaVey side of various arguments but quite capable of
independent thought. They have been active in fighting back against
fundies who would like to exterminate them, review various new
works, and maintain an extensive list of other periodicals int he
field. (D-24/MG) _
□DARK TOME #6 ($2.00 from PO Box 705, Salem, OR 97308):
A full and satisfying array of gothic and horror fiction—that is, the
theme of the stories is usually gothic with a decidely modern attitude.
Mark McLaughlin's "The Pharoah of Hamilton Court reads like
"Married With Children" meets "Dark Shadows," which I found
particularly exhilar ating, along with most of the o thers. (D-28/CG)
DECALCOMANIA #83-84 ($1 from Phil Blytheway, 9705 Mary
NW, Seattle, WA 98117): A newsletter for people who collect radio
paraphernalia, with an emphasis on stickers and "airchecks"
(recordings designed to show the character of a station. Plenty of
news of new promo items here, and tips for those who want to
join in are easily available. (S-lOr/MG) _
DE NAR #53-54 (IRC's from Postbus 104, 1210 Brussel 21,
BELGIUM): Independent music and social activities from Belgium.
Review of shows, music and zines as well as some attention paid
to the politicaUclimate of the day. Some zine reviews in both Dutch
and English; every thing else in Dutch. (D-24r/CG)
DENDRON #20/21/22 ($1.50 from PO Box 11284, Eugene, OR
97440): A special triple issue of this zine for psychiatric survivors,
focused on their continuing campaign to get electroshock reduced
or eliminated. They also look at overuse of drugs in therapy and
various other ways in which patients are stripped of their
fundamental rights . (T-16t/MG) _
DER ZWECK #30 (The Usual, maybe, from Mats Henricson,
Terapiv. 4F, 14155 Huddinge, SWEDEN): This is a science fiction
fanzine, or at least that's my best guess, based on things like
reference to a Gene Wolfe book and a column titled "Iocs". Hard
to be sure, though, since the whole darned thing is in Swedish. If
you want a Swedish zine, this is the only one I know. Nice pic of
a Tapir on the co ver. (A4-12t/MG) _
DESIGNING NEW CIVILIZATIONS Vol. 7 #2 ($10/6 months
from 16255 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA 91436-2354): An apa for people
interested in looking at the broad strokes of our future situation
and working to change it. Cashless economies, small communities
and conflict resolution are among the interests here. (S-28r/MG)
□DIABLERIE #1 ($1 from Kevin J. Lintner, 827 N. Queen St.,
Lancaster, PA 17603-2739): Growing up in the place that brought us
Three Mile Island has left Kevin with some pretty stark impressions
of the environment and he employs them in visually and verbally
attacking the "environmental President." "Diablerie" means "mis¬
chief," but this isn't mischief we are witnessing; it's a parable for
the times we live in and what might well happen if things don't
change. (S-13/CG) ___
DIALOGUE #86-87 ($5/yr from PO Box 71221, New Orleans, LA
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
25
70172): A long-running newsletter of social activism for the New
Orleans area. #86 is an anti-war issue, including a long article on
nonviolence and an insert from the local coalition against the war.
#87 has more activism and events, along with thoughts on why the
anti-war movemen t is easier to ignore this time ar ound.(HL-20/MG)
DIARIST'S JOURNAL #38 ($3 from 102 W. Water St., Lansford,
PA 18232): Just what the title says; this one focuses on diaries. In
addition to some articles about journal-keeping and famous diaries,
it carries many excerpts. These range from recorded anonymous
notes to bits of the lives of famous people. All manner of folks
show up here, laying out the details of their lives for others to see.
(T-32t/MG) _
THE DICK E. BIRD NEWS Vol.4 #8-9 ($12/12 issues from PO
Box 277, Acme, MI 49610): Family-style humor and lighthearted
periodical paying countless homages to the bird, the squirrel and
many other cute and fuzzy objects. There's also tips on birdwatching
and loving, with notes on the floo-floo, the chad, as well as old
favorites hawk and dove. Don't look too hard for serious
enlightenment; you may not find it, but you'll have a real good
time, yessir. (T-16t/CG)_
THE DILATORY MEANDER Vol. 3 #3 (Donation from Carl
Bettis, PO Box 32631, Kansas City, MO 64111): Formerly THE
MONTHLY MEANDER, which Carl has renamed to recognize the
fact that it comes out when it wants to. This is a place for
evolutionary anarchists to discuss their ideas about the future and
nonviolent change. Quiet and supportive, and looking for more
writers. (L-6t/MG)
DISCOMBOBULATION #7 ($1.50 from PO Box 240474, Mont¬
gomery, AL 36124-0474): A little of everything with plenty of
humorous overtones. There's a comic about rain forest, brainstorming
on how to increase the number of people willing to donate blood?
and a Weinman booklet. Santa muses on the sad state of the world
and there's a serious piece about war. Pretty entertaining. (HL-24/MG)
DISCUSSION BULLETIN #46 (Donation from PO Box 1564,
Grand Rapids, MI 49501): A forum for the discussion of libertarian
socialism and various other currently-fringe political positions. Some
people contribute nitpicking critiques of one another, others are into
grand planning for the future, still others continue classic debates.
Marxism vs. Anarchism, for example, is having another revival here.
(HL-28r/MG) _
□DISSONANCE #1 ($1.25 from Leif Hunneman, 14 Louis St.,
New Brunswick, NJ 08901): From Rutgers University and beyond,
a new zine detailing life in New Brunswick, some music new and
reviews, and political commentary. If you live in New Brunswick
or attend Rutgers, you'll recognize some familiar names and places
to go; if not, you'll be satisfied with the software review (SimEarth)
and the very funny guide to attending a Skinny Puppy concert.
(S-23/CG)
DISTURBING DREAMS & DRIED BLOOD #7 (50* from 43
Front St., Lititz, PA 17543): A mix of music zine, weird creativity,
and who knows what else. White Boy gets in a few words edgewise
here, there are zine and music reviews, and a bunch of poetry.
Elaine Cooney does some real disturbing short story work as well.
(S-16/MG) _
□DON'T PULL PRESS NEWSLETTER #1 (One stamp from PO
Box 4472, Long Beach, CA 90804-0472): An introductory newsletter
of goings-on and projects for the Don't Pull Press people. These
include feeding the homeless in a more organized manner, anti-war
demonstrations, saving the earth and other newsletters—mainly one
entitled [SUBJURBAN PROPANE . There are also benefit tape
compilations (free to prisoners), clothes drives, and reprints of various
mainstream stories that provoked the editors for one reason or
another. (S-4/CG)
DRAFT Notices Vol.12 #2 ($$12/yr from COMD, POBox 15195,
San Diego, CA 92165): From the Committee Opposed to Militarism
and the Draft, this issue has much on the Gulf war ("What Did We
Learn?"), some mistakes made early on in the peace movement,
what to do if the FBI comes and a piece on how horribly history
may repeat itself. (S-10/CG)
□DREAMLAND”# 1 ($1 (?) from Rich, PSC #3798, Loring AFB,
ME 04751): An engaging new journal of dreaming and dream recall,
much of it influenced by the work of Stephen LaBerge of the Lucidity
Institute. Contributors send in their recollections and dream responses
(anonymity is guaranteed) for either release or to contact others. A
reprint of LaBerge's "Dream Recall" article is included, with tips on
how to better remember your dreams. Some of the dreams are
pretty intense. (D- 12/CG) _
THE DREAMWEAVER Vol. 2 #2 ($1 from Ladyhawk, PO Box
150692, Fort Worth, TX 76108): A zine that straddles the pagan and
New Age communities, seeking for and acting on a positive life
path. There is plenty of mandala-like art with Native American flavor
to it, plus articles on crystals, herbs and more. There's a long
thoughtful piece o n vegetarianism in this issue as well. (D-36t/MG)
□DREAMWORLDNEWS #1 ($2 & large SASE from 3680 17th St.
#3, San Francisco, CA 94114): This one has a new and strange
premise: a journalistic reporting of dreams. The result is a cross
between the serious and the surreal, rife with stories like "Located
- God's Printing Plant" and "On-Field Vendors: New Factor in
Mexican Soccer". Careful desktop layout in the service of the
exceedingly bizarre . (S-16t/MG) _
DREAD TIMES Spring 1991 ($1 from Identity By Mail, 4245-3dth
Hehi Rd, Lihue, HI 96766): "News for the Nazarite", this one is for
Rastas everywhere. It is slowly unfolding some basic doctrinal
knowledge, along with bits of suppressed African-American history
and notes on cont emporary reggae music. (L-6/MG )
DRIFT #11 ($1 (?) from Suite 424-280 Dundas St., Toronto, ONT,
M5A 3W1, CANADA): A collection of mail art, essays, and other
junk. DRIFT these days seems to be mostly into passing things
along, from notes on the hassles of being a smoker to plans for a
Demon Eater. Mil dly puzzling. (S-6/MG) _
DRIVE-IN CADAVER #16 ($1 from Katrina Kelly, PO Box 624,
Sherburne, NY 13460): The zine name changes every issue, but don't
worry because you should leave it off your envelope anyhow. Inside
this issue are some strange and disgusting short stories, people's
lists of things they would like to get now that the postal rates have
gone up, and a b ackwards cow. (HL-12/MG) _
THE DROOD REVIEW OF MYSTERY #105-106 ($2 from PO Box
8872, Boston, MA 02114): A zine of reviews of new mysteries,
sensitively written, plus assorted book-related features. #105 has a
list of ten novels from 1990 you should be sure to hunt down,
writers' profiles of Bob Cook and Leonard Tourney, and of course
plenty of reviews. #106 looks at baseball mysteries as well as SF
mysteries using AI as a plot element. (S-16t/MG)
DUMARS REVIEWS #10 ($2 from Denise Dumars, PO Box 810,
Hawthorne, CA 90251): This is Denise's own personal reviewzine,
and she does an excellent job with it (though other publishers should
note she chooses material to review, and doesn't touch most
unsolicited stuff). Besides books and zines and movies, there are
restaurants and occult sources here, along with editorials on peace
and more. (D-32/MG)'_
THE DUPLEX PLANET #112 ($1.50 from David Greenberger, PO
Box 1230, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866): Interviews with older people,
conducted with charm and grace. This one is a special collection,
entirely of the wisdom of William "Fergie" Ferguson, who talked
to David many times over the years before his death. Great reading.
(D-16/MG) _
EARTHDOG NEWS Vol. 1 #6 ($6/yr from Marie Mundaca do
Snevil, JAF Box 8274, New York, NY 10116-4651): The fan club
newsletter for Fred Norris, a regular on Howard Stem's outrageous
NYC radio show. If you live there and listen, this is probably funny
as hell. For those of us outside broadcast range, it appears as a
series of inscrutabl e injokes. (S-8t/MG) _
THE EAST SIDE VARIABLE Vol. 4 #2 ($1 (?) from Yosef Braude,
147 Elton St., Providence, RI 02906): A community paper taking an
independent look at what's going on in the East side of Providence.
Besides short vignettes of the area, this one has a discussion of a
meeting between the Mayor and some local merchants, plus notes
on various community troubles. (S-4t/MG)
ECOSOCIALIST REVIEW Spring 1991 ($8/yr from DSA, 1608 N.
Milwaukee, 4th FI., Chicago, IL 60647): A zine for those who believe
that socialism is the most promising path to cleaning up the
environment. This issue takes a look at the Great Lakes bioregion,
suggesting that capitalist governments have made as much progress
as they're going to. There is also a bit on the socialist government
of Ontario and advice on building labor/environmental coalitions.
(S-16t/MG) _
□EFFECTOR #1 (On Request from Electronic Frontier Foundation,
26
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
155 Second St., Cambridge, MA 02141): This is the newsletter of
the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a group whose work in civilizing
the electronic frontier I value and respect very highly. They are
trying very hard to make the application of law in telecommunications
more rational, and to get everyone from hackers to Congressmen
talking. If you are at all concerned about civil rights and
data —including the screen I'm typing these words on—you need this
one. (0-4t/MG) _
EGGHEAD #5 ($1.50 CASH!Stamps from Donna Nicolino, 2161
Burroughs St., San Diego, CA 92111): A zine of essays, comics, and
other opinions. Donna herself explains why she is not an anarchist
though she is sympathetic to anarchist ideals, and passes on a great
deal of info on the Persian Gulf. Dennis Brezina has an excellent
essay on staying connected to the Earth, while Adam Bergman
contributes several bizarre bits of youthful writing. Food for thought.
(S-33t/MG) _
□ELEMENT #1 ($4 from 888 Dupont St. #407, Toronto, ONT,
M6G 1Z8, CANADA): A new collection of poetry and artwork. They
feature weird collages, high-intensity underground corporate grafix
fun, railing against the system, and dreamy fits oof unreason. Lots
of chances being ta ken here, with some promising r esults. (S-80/MG)
/ v ELEVENTH PIN #3 (75* from Cyclone Publications, 2623 Ashton
v ^ Ln., Dayton, OH 45420-2721): The eleventh pin continues its travels,
I'yviNwAthough it's looking a bit worn around the edges. This bowling pin
Finds itself in the foreground of photos of all manner of things,
from a moonwalk to an imposing building to a Nativity scene to a
bulldozer. A strange experiment in unified photography. Comes with
a plastic bowling pin attached to every issue. (M- 20/MG)
□THE ELY FIREFLY #5 ($5/6 months from 413 N. 10th Ave. E.,
Ely, MN 55731): A serious newsletter of opinion and community
news. They look at the encroachment of Christianity as a state
religion in this country, wonder about the victims of the war in
Iraq, and discuss a problem in the local school district. There's also
a short story and an advice column. (5-6/MG)
ENDEAVOR Vol. 1 #6 (Donation from PO Box 23511, Houston,
TX 77228-3511): This one is devoted to the abolition of the death
penalty, and is written primarily by prisoners on death row in
various spots across the country. They report on the dehumanizing
ways prisoners are treated, track abolition attempts, and report on
the rising number of executions. (T-8r/MG) _
ENTROPY #17 (2 29* stamps from 136A Carl, San Francisco, CA
94117): A collection of art, rambling around the issue of censorship.
Plenty of military commanders in here, along with faded fortune
cookies, a thousand points of light, and your own tarot card. Great
yowling 1984ish c over. (D-16/MG) _
EOTU Apr. 1991 ($4 from 1810 VV. State #115, Boise, ID 83702):
A litmag that has done a lot of work out at the margins. This is a
SF issue, with Gregory Fitz Gerald's eerie "One of Us" standing
out, a tale of paranoia in a hospital setting, Bruce Boston's "Curse
of the Alien's Wife" is also quite good. Little bits of prose and some
confusing visual p oetry also sneak in here. (D-60t/ MG)
□THE EPHEMERALIST Uncensored Issue ($2 & Age Statement
from M. Kalish, PO Box 1347, Phoenix, AZ 85001): This particular
issue of this litzine is devoted to censorship and objectionable
material—everything from an account by Shane Paul of some of his
hassles to reprinted nudie pictures. There is lots of sex here, and
too little examination
of issues. (S-20/MG)
EPISODES
QUARTERLY May
91 ($2 from Bill W.
Miller, 607 E.
Cherry, Watseka, IL
60970): The tail end
of the horror serial
"Dorian, A Witch"
appears in this third
issue. All the loose
ends get wrapped up
in a lot of magical
battling, vampires,
pentagrams, familiar
cats and more. (S-
32/MG)
THE ESSEMIAN WAY Vol. 11 #1 ($40 membership [make check
payable to Service of Mankind Church] from SMC, Membership
Dept., PO Box 1407, San Francisco, CA 94101): "The theology of
surrender to the Darkside Goddess" is the subtitle of this quarterly
whose members and contributors are dedicated to goddess worship
and Shaktism through Tantric Yoga. Which also means that there
seems to be quite a solid and happy following of submissive men
and dominant women. The articles explore the relationships in terms
of goddess worshi p, leather, historical origins and fa ntasy. (S-39t/CG)
ETHEL THE AARDVARK #34 (A$15/6 issues overseas from
MSFC, PO Box 212, Melbourne, Victoria 3005, AUSTRALIA): A down
under sf zine for hardcores and novices. Plenty of book reviews
and new from cons around the world. There's also talk about various
sf awards (from Australia and beyond), L. Ron Hubbard's Writers
of the Future Contest, and most recently a ballot for the Down
Under Fan Fund—created to establish close links with fans in North
America by sendin g representatives to cons abroad . (S-43/CG)
EUROPEAN TRASH CINEMA Vol. 2 #2 ($3 from PO Box 5367,
Kingwood, TX 77325): A zine concentrating on exciting and unknown
films from Europe—mondo, b-movies, you name it. It's looking good
today, with typesetting and photos, a far cry from it's humble
beginnings. There's everything from French semi-torture films to
Italian westerns he re, all covered seriously and with love. (D-46t/MG)
EUSKADI INFORMATION #3 ($20/4 issues from EKIN, Apdo,
1005, Donostia, Gipuzkoa, SPAIN): A slick journal recounting the
continued Basque struggle for independence from Spain. They cover
Basque history and current culture, but the focus is definitely on
revolution. On that end, they have features on both the continuing
armed struggle and political negotiations between the ETA and the
Spanish governme nt. (A4-34t/MG) _
EVEN PARANOIACS CAN HAVE ENEMIES ($4.Qp or trade plus
Age Statement from Box 129, Dekalb, IL 60115): An absolutely
gruesome and fearless zine. Mixed collages, body parts spurting out
of everywhere, suicide notes and the most ghastly and yet riveting
story about a man with a tapeworm. (HL-24/CG)
EXPERIMENT IN WORDS Vol.2 #6 ($6/3 issues from Robert W.
Howington, PO Box 470186, Fort Worth, TX 76147): Cutting down
on his publishing ventures, but still seeking experimental works,
Howington gathers together some pretty diverse talent in this litmag.
Of note is an essay by CharlesA. Long on television and literacy.
There are also a couple of video reviews of Back Street Jane and Bible
of Skin and the general feeling that he's not really into it anymore.
(S-16/CG) _
□EXPLORER RAG Vol. 2 #7-Vol. 3 #1 (2 stamps from Matt
Bergstrom, 5115 Gladstone Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55419): The
masthead notation on this one is "Explore your neighborhood. There
are neat places near you!" and the writers here explore a lot of
neighborhoods. #7 has a report from a trip to Graceland and a look
at highway design in East St. Louis. #1 includes an anti-war
demonstration in San Francisco and a unique toy shop. (S-4t/MG)
EXTRA Vol. 4 #2 ($2.50 from 175 Fifth Ave. #2245, New York,
NY 10010): This one focuses on the biases in the media, as seen
from a liberal point of view. #2 is a "special women's issue" covering
everything from the lack of women in executive media positions to
gender bias in professional sports announcing. Obviously there is
still a great deal of room for improvement and gender consciousness
in the major medi a. (S-16t/MG) _
EXTRAORDINARY SCIENCE Vol.2 #4 ($20/4 issues from PO Box
5636, Security, CO 80931): Science from the edges, a fascinating look
at some of the more unknown, undiscovered and unheard of practices
in the science field. Tesla technology is further discussed along with
hydrogen economy (wherein it is defined), water power and the
case of the man framed after having claimed to build a hydrogen
car, electrochemistry, close encounters and what to do if you have
them, and an elucidation of exactly how the telephone works.
(S-40/CG) _
4FACTSHEET #1 (Free from Poets for Peace & Justice, PO Box
32631, Kansas City, MO 64111): I'm sure a postage donation would
help. This is a collection of facts about the Persian Gulf, in Q&A
form—things like "How many foreign maids did the average
household in Kuw ait employ (pre-invasion)? 2.2" ( L-2t/MG)
FANS OF HORROR #11 ($2 from Joseph Olszewski Jr., 2802
Shelley Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19152): A zine for movie buffs that
fits in stuff like a recipe fo r fake blood in between reviews. There's
- E *fg;«ss?
"...leaps forward with strange &
experimental prose & poetry."
—FACTSHEET FIVE
Bukowski, Sollfrey, Grey, Musick
Townsend, Weinman, Niditch, Bob Z
Issues 4, 5 4 6 $2 each. Send cash
or stamps only! to: Robert W.
Howington, P.0. Box 470186, Fort
Worth, Texas 76147.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
27
also an interview with artist Barry Brandon, a fat section of letters,
and an account of trying (unsuccessfully) to get a job in the movies
here. (S-40/MG) _
FANTASY FEDERATION Vol. 2 #9 ($3/3 issues from Jeff Cohen,
50 Shelley Ln., Great Neck, NY 11023): This is a zine for every
wrestling fan who has ever dreamed of being a booker. In it, Jeff
and friends give play by play commentary on wrestling matches
that never actually happened—like Andre the Giant and Giant Baba
vs. the Road Warr iors, just one of many in this i ssue. (S-8r/MG)
FAR CORNER Vol. 1 #4 (50tf from Obscure Research Labs, PO
Box 15266, Santa Rosa, CA 95402): A zine of weirdology and UFOs
and similar topics. This issue reports on a reader survey, visits the
metaphysics and technology of The Matrix, and has a list of strange
zines to write away to. (D-8r/MG)
FARM YARN Jan.-Feb./Mar. 1991 (Donation from Gould Farm,
Monterey, MA 01245): A collection of writing from Gould Farm, a
place where people with psychiatric problems can live in a community
setting. There is poetry here, and prose, and art. Subjects range
from the daily routine of the farm to the genesis of the Mandelbrot
set. (S-17/MG) _
□FAST...HARD #1-2 (IRCs from Christopher, 15 Bellegrove Close,
Welling, Kent, DA16 3RG, UK): A zine of strange fiction, stories
that live about ten minutes in the future. The concept of beginning
and end takes a beating here, but characterization and background
are strong, and there are plenty of jarring moments here. The new
literary direction o f the nineties? (D-12r/MG) _
FATAL VISIONS #10 ($4.50 from PO Box 133, Northcote, Vic.,
3070 AUSTRALIA): A zine of movies with plenty of reviews of
things from Blue Steel to Phantom of the Opera. They've got an
interview with Gerard Schaefer, more of Jack Stevenson's European
tour, and a page or two of Troma. Nice production and writing
here. (A4-34t/MG) __
THE FELIX LETTER #57 ($2 from Clara Felix, PO Box 7094,
Berkeley, CA 94707): "A Commentary on Nutrition" that takes some
of the latest news and boils it down to easy to understand chunks.
Much of this issue is focused on the importance of maintaining a
proper Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acid ration in the diet, including
a look at the evidence that this may be good for preventing various
diseases. (S-4t/MG)
FESTERING BRAINSORE #A-B ($1 from David R. Williams, PO
Box 84, Buffalo, NY 14212): A zine of grossness and gore. They've
got a long review of Pink Flamingos, Gaither pix, comics by Michael
Diana, and so on. Something to ring the gorge rising to the back
of your throat. (S-10/MG)
THE FICTION REVIEW #10 ($4 from PO Box 72939, Roselle, IL
60172): A collection of more or less experimental writing. It starts
out with a kick in the stomach, one of the last pieces of the late
Lorri Jackson, which reads as a sort of surreal suicide note, glimpses
of a shattering life. Jake Berry, Neil S. Kvern and Jack Foley are
among the language players here, each appearing with their own
photo. (D-38/MG)
FIFTH ESTATE Spring 1991 ($1.50 from PO Box 02548, Detroit,
MI 48201): This anarchist tabloid features, as I expected, some of
the best of the anti-war analysis going on; their take on this as a
"war for war" is definitely worth reading. They also go after Leninist
tendencies in the anarchist movement and continue to critique
technology and the megamachine, sometimes in straightforward
manner, sometime s more poetically. (T-32t/MG)
FILM THREAT VIDEO GUIDE #2 ($2.50 from PO Box 3170,
Los Angeles, CA 90078-3170): A zine of strange and underground
video—many of which the nice people at Film Threat headquarters
will be happy to sell to you. Besides reviews, this issue wanders
on to the set of The Doors, reports on how to get banned in Canada,
and interviews videomaker Frank Garvey. All manner of bizarre
stuff lurks in thes e pages. (S-80t/MG) _
FIREHEART #6 ($7/2 issues from POBox 462, Maynard, MA
01754): An outstanding pagan glossy publication rooted in magick
and spiritual transformation. The issue's theme is "Myth, Magic and
the Making of Religion." Editor Myrriah Lavin writes nobly about
being human and the need to develop your own spirituality in order
to get through the rough times. There's a roundtable discussion on
the pagan clergy, an interview with veteran witch Doreen Valiente
and more. (S-74t/CG)_
FIVE O'CLOCK CHARLIE #2 ($1 from 355 62nd St., Oakland,
CA 94618): A collection of short stories, most apparently with at
least some relation to reality, though perhaps not consensus reality.
Childhood terror, a recipe for cooking common garden snails, curious
parties, and opera tion MK-ULTRA all show up he re. (D-28t/MG)
□FLYPAPER #1 (50[cents] from 300 W. Bosley, Alpena MI 49707):
An unusual and fun idea—reducing music posters in a mini. These
are actual reduced posters featuring bands in the Metro Detroit area
(but looking to expand), and no musical style is featured prominently.
It's the artliness of the posters that is important to the editor.
(M-20/CG)
FOCUSING IN ON THE MAN IN THE MOON #5 ($1 from Sal
Robert Pauciello, 9 Stanley St., Irvington, NJ 07111): A litzine which,
in this issue, adds a strong anti-war presence, including a reprint
of some material from the Coalition to Stop US Intervention in the
Middle East. There is artwork by Steve Sneyd, some short poetry,
and political cartooning as well. (S-20/MG)
F.O.D.! #2 ($4.00 from Urania 235, POBox 136, Station P, Toronto,
Ontario M5S 2S7, CANADA): An unbelievable array of fringe all
under one cover: "Chaossification," taking the mystery out of phone
sex, reviews of every sort, coffee and its sycophants, weird comics,
interviews, fiction, rants, tatooing, mainstream paper clippings,
UFO's...it goes on and on. I've only touched on the basics here—but
almost all of it is deep and fascinating. Where does he find the
time? (S-64/CG) _
FOETUS ACID #6 ($2 (?) from 7264 Melrose Ave., Hollywood,
CA 90046): A collection of miscellaneous madness from the
underground. Short poetry, a story about pollution in Lake Ontario,
Sesame Street porno and a rude letter from Shirley Jones are among
the offerings. There are also instructions on homemade stinkbombs
and rage about so ciety. (S-40/MG) _ *
' FOGTOWN RAG Vol. 1 #1 ($1 (?) from PO Box 170083, San
Francisco, CA 94117): Free locally, but they seem to have neglected
a mail order price. This is something of an alternative litmag: a
fossil on the cover, essays about knowledge and family structure,
strange graphics, music reviews and more. They compare meditation
and booze as stress-relievers and put together an article on the
mythology of the constellations. (D-20t/MG) _
FOLLOW, FOLLOW #17 ($10/6 issues from PO Box 539, Glasgow,
Gil 7LT, UK): This is a football (British) zine for fans of the Glasgow
Rangers. As such, it is more or less impenetrable to we Yanks,
except perhaps for a few diehard sports fans. Well-assembled and
seemingly possess ed of a great community spirit. (D-32t/MG)
FOLLY #5-6 (The Usual from Arnie Katz, 330 S. Decatur #152,
Las Vegas, NV 89107): A SF zine from a long-gafiated fan, now
back and enjoying fannish waters once again. Along with Arnie's
own stuff, #5 has a great article from Joe Walcott about the real
Secret Masters of Fandom...hopefully they will not suppress further
distribution. #6 has further discussion of numbered fandoms, the
Bergeron wars, and other fannish esoterica. (S-14/MG)
FOOD FOR BIRDS, PEOPLE FOR PROFIT #9 ($2 (?) from
Mid-Coast Sub-Church of Paranoia, RFD 279, Rockland, ME 04841):
A collection of writings, many on the drug war, from all over the
place. There are extensive notes on inappropriate sentencing, some
hyperoxygenation therapy from Waves Forrest, a weird "Viral
Conspiracy" rant, and plenty more. One of the stranger backwaters
of the remaining counterculture. (S-48/MG)
□FOOD FOR THOUGHT #1 ($2 from R. Seth Friedman, 25 W.
Thirteenth St. #5-N-N, New York, NY 10011): A new, fun, and
amusing zine of cooking. There are several mouthwatering vegetarian
recipes here, intermixed with bits of chit-chat; sort of like visiting a
close friend and hanging around in the kitchen while he cooks.
There's also a fascinating essay from someone in prison about how
he cooks. Recommended. (D-16t/MG)
FOOTSTEPS Vol.5 #4 ($10/yr membership from PATHWAYS,
Drawer 707, Derby, KS 67037-0707): The official newsletter of
PATHWAYS, a New-Age organization which is spiritual and also
offers items for sale, including astrological charts and crystal
poultices. This is their last issue for awhile, but members will still
be informed on current projects and sales. Editorials include leaving
the Age of Love for the Age of Light, "What's a New Ager,
Anyway?" and The Symptoms of Inner Peace. (D-ll/CG)
FOR YOUR SKULL #22 (30<t & a stamp from PO Box 481051,
28
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Los Angeles, CA 90048): A zine of underground art and underground
artists. This one has interviews with Karen Platt (of DOLO ROMY)
and Joe E. (as conducted by his own brain). There is also a variety
of funky underground art, including of course more skulls from
Carrie and friends. (D-16/MG) _
FOSFAX #154 ($2 from FOSFA, PO Box 37281, Louisville, KY
40233-7281): A fat SF-zine that discusses everything from the revised
and expanded STRANGER IN A STRANGE l AND to the order of
battle for Operation Desert Storm. The lettercolumn continues to be
the largest single feature, with fans and pros arguing about the
world, politics, and everything else. (S-64t/MG)
FRACTAL REPORT 14 ($23/6 issues from J. de Rivaz, West
Towan House, Porthtowan, Truro, Cornwall TR4 8AX, UK): A journal
of fractals and programming for the interested amateur. This issue
has some lovely full-page images, some Chebyshev polynomials,
Sierpinski curves, and plenty more. Includes various bits of code
and pseudocode. (A4-20t/MG)
FRANKFORT'S ALTERNATIVE INDEX Vol. 95 #8-13 (20/yr from
PO Box 183, Frankfort, KS 66427): A weekly progressive paper for
Kansans and concerned others. #9 looks at FEMA and the
preparations for possible martial law in this country. #11 reports
that Amnesty International has officially recognized one of the US
servicemen who refused to fight in the Gulf as a prisoner of
conscience. In #12 they reprint a message received on their affiliated
computer BBS from a correspondent in the Soviet Union. #13 reports
that the Army broke their own rules in some of the orders putting
Desert Storm in motion. (T-8t/MG)
FREDERICK'S LAMENT #1-2 (4 stamps from Pollination Press,
PO Box 359, Harvest, AL 35749-0359): A collage of advertising,
subliminals, condom instructions, bits of books, and more. It's
apparently intended to explore fantasy passing as reality, with special
attention to cutting up ad images and juxtaposing them in new (and
perhaps suggestive ) ways. (S-20/MG) _
FREEDOM WRITER Vol. VIII #2 (On Reuquest from Institute
for First Amendment Studies, PO Box 589, Great Barrington, MA
01230): A newsletter from a group fighting to keep the Churches
from running the state. This time they talk mostly about a couple
of radical Christian organizations making a concerted effort to get
their members on public school boards. (S-4t/MG)
FREE INQUIRY Vol. 11 #2 ($5 from PO Box 5, Buffalo, NY
14215): A magazine of freethough and unabashed secular humanism.
This issue has a fine essay from Alan Dershowitz on upholding the
wall between church and state, a look at Reconstructionism from
Skipp Porteus, and an examination of the Humanist dimensions of
Unitarianism. (S-60t/MG)
FRICTION Vol. 3 #1 ($8/4 issues from Mark W. Doyon, 6130
Calico Pool Ln., Burke, VA 22015): A literary "Quasi-quarterly" with
a taste for stories with a bit of spin on them. Take "Gunga's Dinner
fSG£ IMlflE PimmY 0F/tRT:
IMPRESS loti I5M VS- EXm&lOMltM
(the Kiplinger Letter)" which, despite the overly-cute title, is actually
a very nice droll story about a teenage job. There is plenty more
here, including an oddball eulogy and a story of college obsession.
(S-lOt/MG) _
FRIENDS OF PEACE PILGRIM #12 (Donation from 43480 Cedar
Ave., Hemet, CA 92344): A newsletter of the continuing message
of Peace Pilgrim, the lady who lived simply while crossing the
country on foot and preaching a message of peace. She inspired
many, and a number of them get together here to further spread
the message. (S-8t /MG) _
FROM THE MOUNTAIN Jan.-Feb. 1991 ($15 donation from PO
Box 488, Byron, MI 48418): Ideology and news reports from whites
and other clansmen. They take note of current goings-on in the
nation, "reject the urban areas" and other metropolitan centers in
favor of "controlling" the more loosely populated areas. They also
give advice on starting your own clan, give out awards to the wife
of Tom Metzger and reprint photos, the scariest of which was the
little boy wearing the klan costume. (D-20r/CG)
FTT #11 (£1 or The Usual from Judith Hanna and Joseph Nicholas,
5A Frinton Road, Stamford Hill, London N15 6NH, UK): A science
fiction zine that delights in political discussions and careful
debate—well, sometimes in sloppy debate too, thanks to an active
lettercol. This one leads off with Judith's winter birdwatching,
proceeds through a visit to Egypt to Joseph's prowling about several
history books, and along the way spends quite a few pages on
feminism and related topics. (A4-34/MG)
FUGITIVE POPE Vol. 2 #2 ($1 CASH/Stamps from Raleigh Clayton
Muns, 3338 Sawtelle Blvd. #20, Los Angeles, CA 90066): This is a
special number of this bimonthly, devoted this time around to death.
It chronicles several famous (or infamous, depending on how you
look at it) cemeteries, visits the tomb Of Jim Morrison, and shows
off some Sicilian mummies. There is a list of past necrophiles and
a survey for readers to send in accounts of their own necrophiliac
activity too. (D-24/MG)
FULL DISCLOSURE #22 ($18/12 issues from PO Box 903,
Libertyville, IL 60048): A continued great tabloid on electronic
invasions of privacy, government abuses of individual rights, and
related topics. This issue has a lot on the law enforcement pursuit
of hackers and BBS operators, plus a court decision on dumpster
diving, "The Death of the Blue Box", info on traffic radar, mail
surveillance, and much more. (T-16t/MG)
□FULL-TIME DADS #1 ($18/6 issues from PO Box 12773, St.
Paul, MN 55112-0773): A new zine for fathers who consider taking
care of the kids their mairr responsibility in life. This first issue reads
mostly like a support group in print, with articles about men's
feelings, getting to know other Housefathers, and the ongoing
changes in American culture that make this a viable lifestyle.
(S-241/MG) _
FUNKAPOTAMUS #2 (1 stamp and a letter from Jerome, 4966
Deepwood Ct., St. Louis, MO 63128): A zine of art, in a sort of
psychedelic-coloring book fashion, for the most part. There are some
weird ideas lurking in Jerome's head, and the splatter all over the
pages here. Even i ncludes a personal note to the r eader. (D-20/MG)
FUNMARE INK #3 ($2 CASH/Stamps from Donna Han, 627 Taylor
St. #21, San Francisco, CA 94102): Collaged material that functions
somewhat as a roadmap of the underground. It leads off with some
detourned comics, then moves into porn, anarchy, the oppression
of time and other goodies, all linked by highways of words and
drawings. (D-28/MG)
FUNNY PAGES #19-20 ($1 plus SASE from POBox 317025,
Dayton, OH 45431): Jokes of every sort—you know, the kind that
are told in a bar when you run out of conversation or pass around
at the office. Tasteless, Helen Keller, Iraq, Easter Bunny, Sex—you
name it. #19 has the results of the reader's poll, which indicates
that Joe Workman is doing just what his readers want him to.
(S-10/CG) _
FUSE Winter 1991 ($15/yr from 1st FL, 183 Bathurst St., Toronto,
ONT, M5T 9Z9, CANADA): A zine of the arts and social issues,
professionally done and focused on Canada. This issue includes
coverage of the annual Gay Games, plus a great article from Sandra
Carpenter on how people with disabilities fit in (or don't fit in).
Good coverage of alternative films, too. (S-48t/MG)
THE GAME'S AFOOT #5 ($10/6 issues from Zirlinson Publishing,
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
29
THE TRICKSTER '
*v«*
YOU CAN T FIND THIS KIND OF MATERIAL IN ANY OTHER MAGAZINE!
Peter Lamborn Wilson on the Moorish Science Temple and Islamic Satanism
Terence McKenna on the World's Most Mysterious Manuscript...
Jacob Needleman on Gurdjiett and the Fourth Way...
Caitlin Matthews on Sophia and The Grail...
Tim O'Neill on Sex Magick and Astral Rituals...
Maybe that’s why GNOSIS has been Publisher’s Choice in
Factsheet Five ; a finalist for Utne Reader’s Alternative Press
Awards two years in a row; and has found over 24,000
enthusiastic readers in just six years.
GNOSIS covers the esoteric traditions of the West like no other
publication. We’re lively. Intelligent. Surprising. Give us a try.
Send $5 for a sample copy or $15 for a one year sub.
Canadian subs: $20 U.S. plus GST tax. Foreign subs; $20
U.S.(Please pay by U.S. check or int’l money order in U.S.
funds only.) Prices are subject to change without notice.
Order yours today.
GNOSIS • A Journal ol the Western Inner Traditions • P.0. Bos 14217 F • Sae Francisco, CA 94114
1036 Glacier Ave., Pacifica, CA 94044): A zine for those interested
in serious discussion of roleplaying games. This issue has a scenario
for Twilight:2000, but the focus is more on discussion of what makes
a good game and how to make a good game better. Crime in the
future, sex in games and esoteric characters are among the topics
reviewed here. (HS-16t/MG)
GAMUT #32 ($15/3 issues from 1218 Fenn Tower, Cleveland State
University, Cleveland, OH 44115): A little of everything in a
contemporary journal for the inquisitive mind. A few features of
#32: memories of yo-yos past, an excavation at the only Revolutionary
War fort in Ohio, a proposal to reorganize major-league sports, the
language of the Babylonians & Assyrians, and the joys of eating
weeds. (S-96t/MG)
GARY MONSTER MAGAZINE #13 ($3 from 311 Palmerston
Blvd., Toronto, ONT, M6G 2N5, CANADA): This is the "Batchick"
issue of this zine of popular culture and collage, with lots of pictures
of Batgirl. There are also shoes, hurricanes, news clippings, and
random collages. A lot of obscurities. (D-64r/MG)
THE GATE Apr. 1991 ($8/4 issues from PO Box 43518, Richmond
Heights, OH 44143): A collection of paranormal experiences, Fortean
miscellanea, and historical reviews of the same. They've got
everything from squirrels on the rampage to spiritual smells to a
look at a famous UFO case in this issue. (S-16/MG)
GAY COMMUNITY NEWS Vol.18 #31-37 ($39/49 issues from 62
Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116): The leading gay and lesbian
community periodical, they are a source for related stories locally
and nationally. In the interests of Black History Month, much of
#31 is dedicated to the gay/lesbian of color experience, among which
is a leading story about the possibility of AZT-use being less effective
for people of color. Other issues contain news about apparent splits
of ACTTJP!, police raids on lesbian parties, and the usage of the
word "homosexual." #36 is their parody issue (half of it), called
"Queer Community News," in which they make fun of themselves
and everyone else, including Barbra Streisand. I loved the piece on
"Sapphist Sex Fiends of the Seventies." (T-20t/CG)
GAY FETISH TIMES Anniversary issue ($2 (?) from Sirco, PO
Box 14425, San Francisco, CA 94114): This one is mainly a catalog
for Sirco, an outfit that specializes in out of the ordinary films for
gay men. Perhaps their most famous title is Piss Pig (now up to
five volumes); others include Sirco Bears , Vacuum Pup Orgy and Never
Too Old. The tabloid also has some short interviews and notations
about the safety of some of these practices. (T-8t/M G)
GENERATION X #5 ($6 from 1 South View, Mexborough, S.
Yorkshire, S64 9NE, UK): The successor to NEIGHBOURHOOD
WATCH, this one is packed with reviews and articles from the
fringes, as well as a hard-vinyl EP (copies without the EP may be
had for $3) of music from Little Brother. Inside you'll find zine
reviews, Betty Page, Traci Lords, Jabberwocky Graphix, albums, and
ideas on putting out your own marginal product. Good contacts.
(A4-24r/MG) _
GENII Vol. 54 #5-6 ($3 from PO Box 36068, Los Angeles, CA
90036): From card tricks to elaborate illusions involving thousands
of dollars' worth of props, this one is for the professional stage
magician. #5 looks at some of the magic of Stewart James, contains
plans for building a nice prop for your act, explains many sleights
of hand and discusses jailbreaks. Grand fun. Randy Wakeman takes
center stage in #6, which also features a historical note about
Houdini's marriage . (S-64t/MG) _
GHOSTS & SCHOLARS #13 ($4 from Richard Fawcett, 61
Teecomwas Dr., Uncasville, CT 06382): Fawcett is the US agent for
this delightful British publication of ghost stories, mostly in the
tradition of M.R. James—often with an academic setting. Rick
Kennett's "The Windows" in this edition is well-done indeed, making
good use of a contemporary setting for a new twist on an old tale.
(D-40r/MG) _
□GIRLFRIENDS #1 ($4 from Paul R. Plaisance, Peripheral Press,
PO Box 6920, Alexandria, VA 22306): A new zine for young
transvestites, transsexuals and cross-dressers. It's emphasis is on
no-nonsense advice, with the major article on this issue being
straightforward advice on cross-dressing on a budget. They also
reprint media images and mentions and opinions on freedom and
labeling. (S-44/MG)_
30
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
GIRL JOCK #3 ($2.50 from Rox-A-Tronic Publishing, 2060 Third
St., Berkeley, CA 94710): Once again a pleasure and an exercise in
girl jocularity (pun intended). The editrix has discovered the joys of
Pagemaker but is still filling many of the pages with adroit comics
revealing the less serious side to being an athletic lesbian in the
latter 20th century. Sunah Cherwin also offers two articles (not about
jocks) describing both fashion and night life, there's the Adventures
of Captain Comic (who is busy spreading the word about not
spreading anything else), and Sarah Rosen's "The Base Hit," finally
in season now with the coming of spring. (D-46/CG)
GNOSIS #19 ($5 from PO Box 14217, San Francisco, CA
94114-0217): GNOSIS is almost too large to be called a fanzine, but
thansk to editor Jay Kinney and his strange vision I think it still
retains some of the zine-nature. Billed as "A Journal of the Western
Inner Traditions", it tackles the odder side of life on the fringes,
with the current issue devoted to "The Trickster" and considering
fools in areas as diverse as Islam , TV evangelism, and the Norse
Tradition. There's even modern trickster Paul Krassner discussing
his own epiphanies and a gossip column from the notorious Adam
Weishaupt. (S-88t/MG)_
□GNU SNOOSE NEWS Vol. 1 #2 ($1.50 from D. Kingsley Hahn
do Shields, 468 Dayton Ave. #9, St. Paul, MN 55102): Another zine
devoted to collecting strange and unusual newspaper clippings, this
time from the Twin Cities area. Disposable circumcision kits, bizarre
Disney personnel practices, genital thefts and curious flag desecra¬
tions are among the subjects here. (S-8t/MG)
GOLDEN PERILS #17 ($4 from Howard Hopkins, 5 Miliken Mills
Rd., Scarboro, ME 04074): A zine for those who love the old pulp
adventure and mystery series, and their offspring in more modern
media. This is a special issue, devoted to the Green Hornet, with
an emphasis on the television show but crossing over as well.
Includes a complete episode listing and plenty of photos. (D-50r/MG)
□GOOD GRUB FOR GOOD FOLKS #1 ($1 (?) from Male Omsip,'
PO Box 54020, Cincinnati, OH 45254): A zine of random bits. The
first issue has a short and silly interview with the Royal Crescent
Mbo, an anti-Spam tirade, and a contest to design a tattoo for
Maggie Thatcher. There's also an essay on toothpicks and a survey
on "How do you feel about decapitation as a recreational sport?"
(S-8/MG)
G'RAFFITI Vol.4 #1-4 lSMENSA;G'RAFFITI($5/yr from Camelo¬
pard Society, POBox 18698, San Diego, CA 92176): Monthly
publication from the Camelopards, an escaped group of Mensans
who enjoy each other's company. They gossip and review books,
tell jokes and stories, and plan events for themselves like Square
Dancing and Cooking. There's also a bit of editorializing on matters
such as the "Battle of the Sexes" in which we find out the toilet
s^at is the root of all conflict. (S-23t/CG)
GREAT EXPEDITIONS #65 ($18/5 issues from PO Box 8000-411,
Sumas, WA 98295-8000): Off the beaten track travel magazine for
the sturdy and adventurous. Lots of information pertaining to
budgeting money, workcamps, driving and/or hiking, taking the kids
with you (to China in this issue), off-season hot spots, and tips on
traveling to places you've never even heard of. (S -46t/CG)
GREEN ANARCHIST #26 (60p Sample issue from Box H, 34
Cowley Road, Oxford 0X4 1HZ, ENGLAND): Strident anarchist news
and opinion with lots of attention to the environment as well. They
continue to report on the events at Stonehenge, news around the
country and the world (the Mohawk seige and the jailing of hackers
in Georgia), the follies of science, and gun usage in protecting rights.
(S-24r/CG)
□GREEN BRIGADES ECOLOGISTS PAPER #3 (Contact The
Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian Univ., Karasia 3/100, 30 060
Krakow, POLAND; Donations to The Foundation for Environmental
Contact Eastern Europe, PO Box 5627, NL-1007 AP Amsterdam,
Netherlands): The editors here request that donations be sent to the
second address and you write them at the first one and let them
know. It's an English-language paper revealing environmental
problems, and the actions being taken to stop them, in Poland.
Much of it is on opposing a new dam and on the growing Polish
environmental movement. An excellent resource. (D-24r/MG)
GREEN EGG #92 ($5 from PO Box 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482): A
pagan journal that's been around for quite a long time, from the
Church of All Worlds, an outfit that has an organized clergy, nests
across the country, and so on. They also have a lot of news and
opinion to pass along, as well as articles on peace, tantric work,
the God/Dess of Parking Spaces, and what we can all do for Gaia.
An overwhelming amount of information. (S-36t/MG)
GREEN LINE Vol. V #6 ($9/yr from PO Box 144, Asheville, NC
28802): A paper that's a good example of "think globally, act locally"
in action. Concerned about the environment, they focus on
conserving water, stopping uncontrolled growth in the Asheville
area, and monitoring the County government. A solid piece of work.
(T-28t/MG)
GREEN MULTILOGUE Vol. 5 #6 ($3 from 390 Jones Ave.,
Toronto, ONT, M4J 3G3, CANADA): An apa for Canadian Greens
activists and others interested in the Green movement. #6 is a special
issue, featuring reprints of material from October 1986 through
August 1990—sort of a fast-forward view of a growing, changing,
sometimes argume ntative movement. (S-48/MG)
□GREEN PAGES #2 (R50.00/yr from PO Box 72494, Parkview
2122, SOUTH AFRICA): A relatively new journal of ecological
matters. Coverage in this issue includes preservation of cycad trees,
the "Mazda Wildlife Fund", pesticide exposure, rainforests and
recycling. Seems to be a fairly large amount of corporate support
here. (A4-48t/MG)
GREEN PRINTS #5 ($3.25 from PO Box 1355, Fairview, NC
28730): This one is a hybrid, if you'll forgive the term, of a gardening
magazine crossed with a litmag. The people here write about the
joys of gardening, the people involved, the love of the land, and
sundry other topics. This issue ranges from raising a bumper crop
of rocks in New England soil to a reminiscence of Elisabeth
Woodburn, who was a good source for books on the topic.
(D-641/MG) _
GROGGY #31 (The Usual from Eric Mayer, 98 High St., Fiarport,
NY 14450): A SF zine which, like mosi^of the best of the genre,
discusses life instead of science fiction. Eric is still picking up the
pieces from his divorce, but has found things to fill up time—like
writing and running. The latter leads to lots of letter column
exchanges with other fans doing likewise, or at least similar.
(S-12/MG)
GROWING WITHOUT SCHOOLING #80 ($25/6 issues from 2269
Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140): The premiere magazine
for those who choose to teach their children at home. With large
parts of each issue written by the kids themselves, it is obvious
that this works. There are forums on particular questions (this issue
on being helpful when asked) as well as regular features like a
directory of homeschoolers. (S-32t/MG)
THE GRUMBLING YAK Mar.-Apr. 1991 (75* CASH/Stamps from
PO Box 127, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522): Strange humor, collages,
mazes and who knows what else. The March issue has another
survey for readers, questions readers would like to ask George Bush,
and a pirated Greg Hill collage. April has a maze, an expensive
cookie recipe, and a short pasta story. (D-16r/MG)
GUERILLA GRAPHICS Mar. 1991 ($1.75 from Bob Lee, 1720
Burgundy Rd., Leucadia, CA 92024): A zine of concrete poetry,
computer-drawn cartoons, and other topics on the intersection of
literature and desktop publishing. Bob goes after vegetarians in this
one, comes up with an analysis of the Gulf War to offend most
people, and does some delightful visual punning. (M-24t/MG)
□THE GUIDE Mar. 1991 ($25/yr from PO Box 593, Boston, MA
02199): This one proclaims itself as being for "Gay Travel,
Entertainment, Politics, & Sex", but it seems to be almost exclusively
male-oriented (though there are some features for lesbians). They
feature maps of many cities showing the hotspots, plenty of ads,
free personals, gay Republicans, review columns, and more. There's
a major feature in this issue on the erotic qualities of violence.
(S-144t/MG) __
□GULP #1 (Stamps or Trade from 21 Main St., Binghamton, NY
13905): Compendium of stuff that is, in the editor's words, "neat
and good." All of it. Cool graphics in a mini-sized format with short
verses and poems (I loved Susan Campbell's "Palm Sundav 1974")
and comics and popular culture reverie (like those little chers heads
you see on pizza boxes nationwide). There's also a tiny review
section where the editors actually and only use three words to
describe all- records, zines and catalogs (Archie McPhee is called
"pop culture nirvana")—a great idea. (M-28r/CG)
□THE HALCYON CLUB #5-6 ($1 (?) from PO Box 642,
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
31
Jamestown, NY 14702): A small zine with a sort of underground
bulletin board feel to it. They are interested in a whole batch of
things, including the Bronte sisters and the Cure. Little bits of
creativity, poetry, reviews are plastered here at all angles. (S-5/MG)
HAPA #13 ($3 from Joe Lane, PO Box 4083, Terre Haute, IN
47804): This is an apa run for the benefit of small publishers like
us. Samples are available for $3, but after that you have to contribute
to get copies. We've discussed everything from proper grammar to
library subscriptions to perfect binding to credit card accounts and
more. Still small b ut definitely useful. (S-31/MG)
HARVEST Spring-Beltane 1991 ($15/8 issues from PO Box 378,
Southborough, MA 01772): A neopagan journal with a wide range
of interests. In Spring, Starspawn's essay on AIDS is poignant, while
"The Art of Haruspicy" details Etruscan divination principles. The
Beltane begins a series on Witchcraft in the movies, has an article
on the curious Shiela-na-Gig figures found in British churches, and
prints a brief introduction to Santeria. There is material on gardening,
magick in action, the craft as seen by outsiders,
and plenty of contacts. (S-34t/MG/CG)
□HEALTH & RESEARCH Vol. 2 #1 ($10/6
issues from AAMR, 55 Maple Hill Rd., West
Stockbridge, MA 01266): A newsletter from the
Association for the Advancement of Medical
Research. They print a mix of popularized
medical research results and cheerleading for
increased government science funding. Hard
to tell what's at the bottom of it, other than
a sincere desire to help people by curing them
and extending their lives. (S-6t/MG)
HEART DANCE #7-9 ($1 (?) from PO Box
5539, Berkeley, CA 94705): A calendar and
listing of events for the Bay Area, mostly in
a sort of New Age context. Browsing through,
I find vision quests, Eckankar, Tai Chi, crystals,
women's power, astrology, and lots more.
Many listings for every day of the week. They
also carry Swami Beyondananda and listings
for groups that meet on a regular basis.
(S-40t/MG)
□HELLBOX Vol. 1 #1 ($1 (?) from Steve
Chant, 83 Chase St., Burlington, VT 05401): A
new zine devoted to the odd things one can
find when investigating books, printing, and
related subjects. Most of this issue is devoted
to telling the story of J. Francis Ruggles, an
eccentric bookseller from around the turn of
the century. Steve also reproduces a few pages
from an artistically mutilated book. (HL-
16t/MG)
□H.E.L.P. Vol. 1 #1 ($1 from Rob Handel,
416 S. Linn St. #8, Iowa City, IA 52240): A
zine of many interests, with something for a
lot of people. The premiere issue has an article
on why a local skateboard park is needed, a
first-person account of getting arrested at an anti-war demo, and
notes on becoming a Conscientious Objector. They also review a
book by Arthur C. Clarke and the best albums of 1990. (S-19t/MG)
□HENRY MILLER MEMORIAL LIBRARY NEWSLETTER Vol.l
#1 ($25/membership from HMML, Big Sur, CA 93920): A pretty
self-explanatory newsletter, but there's a lot in here about Big Sur
(which figured into Miller's life as well). Anecdotes, memories,
excerpts horn Miller and his daughter's writings, and lots about the
Big Sur Land Trus t. (S-13/CG) _
THE HERETICAL INQUISITOR Vol. 1 #3 (SASE from PO Box
2042, Fairview Hts., OH 62208): A Satanist zine which makes no
bones about seeing the "X-Tians" as the enemy. As such it is full
of worries about growing Christian political power and rants about
what the concerned Satanist can do to fight back. (S-6/MG)
HOBBISTS & COLLECTORS NATIONAL MARKETPLACE ($1
from Traders Mart, PO Box 1051, Quincy, IL 62306): This one is
mainly composed of the sort of small ads one finds in "big mail"
mailings, but it also has articles on various hobbies. And for some
reason there are a couple of pages on Messianic Judaism in this
issue. (S-16t/MG) ___
□HOBLINK #8 ($2 CASH or £1 stamps from Joy Hibbert, 11
Rutland St., Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST15 JG, UK): Please don't put
the zine name on the envelope. Hoblink is an organization of lesbian,
gay and bisexual pagans, and this is their newsletter. It's mainly
focused on events and get-togethers, and in what the group can do
to become more h elpful for its members. (A4-4r/M G)
□THE HOLY EXPERIMENT #8 (75* from 82 Ethan Allen Rd.,
Freehold, NJ 07728): An anarchist zine by and for teenagers. This
issue has a call for the banning of a local incinerator project, plus
an essay "A Polemic For Radical Culture" asking for innovation
instead of retro-w orship. (S-8/MG) _
HOMOTURE #2 ($5 CASH from PO Box 191781, San Francisco,
CA 94119-1781): A well-designed example of the new breed of
defiantly queer zines springing up all over. Those who don't
understand the difference between "gay" and "queer" would be well
advised to read "The Myth of the Acceptable Lie" here. They also
print comics, stories of past encounters, hot fiction (or possibly hot
fact), arty photos and a few gossip tidbits.
(HL-36t/MG)
HORIZON #70 (Send for info from J.
Haelterman, Stationstraat 232A, 1770
Liedekerke, BELGIUM): An all-Dutch popular
culture magazine. Articles include movie
reviews and retrospectives, museum reviews,
and another look at the folklore surrounding
the werewolf. It looks fun. (S-32/CG)
THE HORROR #2 ($2 & a stamp from
Jakrabitt, 4823 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia,
PA 19143): A zine of odd writings and collages
that try to get at the horror of modern living.
A fair amount of nasty sex here, along with
alienation, the joys of the work week; death
and consumer culture. (S-32/MG)
HOTEL DIRE #23 ($1 (?) from Gobi, PO
Box 18754, Rochester, NY 14618): A minizine
of sex-soaked material edited by Gobi and
the Rev. Samuel. The SubGenius influence
peeps through here as well, in amongst the
cheesecake photo and rants and raves about
the world being a lousy place. Rev. Samuel
in particular seems to have a classic marginal
bad attitude, sneering at the world and daring
it to come get him. (M-32t/MG)
HOUSEWIFE-WRITER'S FORUM Vol. 4
#2 ($15/6 issues from PO Box 780, Lyman,
WY 82937): This one is now calling itself "The
magazine for women writers"—though really
it has things to say to any busy stayathome
building a writing career on the side. They
publish short, mostly humorous articles and
stories, as well as notes on how to write,
what to write, and where to send it—and
balancing all of this with family responsibili¬
ties. (S-32t/MG)
HUBRIS #2 ($1 (?) from Tom Long, 1122 1/2 N. 13th, Dekalb,
IL 60115): An bizarre assortment of items found and pondered in
no particular order. I loved the picture of the guy and his zit with
the caption "Imperfect Nature" (can somebody make me a poster
of that?). There's also "Two Felonies" by Long—two which he didn't
commit and he explains how he was implicated. Later on it becomes
more peculiar, with a woman writing of her homosexual desires, a
reprint from FRONT OFFICE PSYCHOLOGY and some strangelike
comic rambling. U nusual medley. (S-15/CG) _
HUDSON VALLEY GREEN TIMES Vol. 11 #2 ($15/yr from PO
Box 208, Red Hook, NY 12571): Environmental news and action for
people living along the Hudson River. This issue is focused in on
the land, with an emphasis on saving it from development. They
also keep an eye on waste issues, food safety, and a raft of other
things. (T-16t/MG)_
HUMANIST NEWS & VIEWS Vol. 5 #6 ($25/yr from Bemie
Schatz, 4418 Josephine Ln., Robbinsdale, MN 55422-1328): A
Humanist newsletter for the St. Paul and Minneapolis area. They
talk about the problems religion has engendered quite a bit, and
offer their own analysis of the ills of society. This issue has a list
32
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
of things you can do to help the environment. (S -6t/MG)
THE HYPERBOREAN Vol. 1 #3 ($2 from Richard Gaska, 2024
N. Manor Dr., Erie, PA 16505): A zine of reprints for the person
interested in anarchy and freethought. Gaska is digging up some
rare nineteenth-century material, including an issue of THE FREE-
THOUGHT VINDICATOR in this issue, which seems to bear some
of the fanzine nat ure. Lots of heavy rationalism h ere. (S-30t/MG)
IDEAS & ACTION #15 ($7.50/4 issues from PO Box 40400, San
Francisco, CA 94140): The newspaper of the Workers Solidarity
Alliance, an anarcho-syndicalist group that pushes for rank and file
controlled unions. Their success can be judged in part by the fact
that much of their paper covers mainstream labor news. This issue
also has much on the anti-war protests in San Fran cisco. (T-16t/MG)
IDEOLOGY OF MADNESS #11 ($1.25 or trade from Yggdrassil
Press, POBox 1742, Arlington, TX 76004):The "first official Stangian
Hate zine," but don't look for anti-Stang material in this issue.
There's other (and better) subjects to ponder in here. New staff
arrangements, the demise of the Dirty Tampons, Elvis sightings
(send your's in), new and unusual BBS's, and a pretty down to
earth essay on finding the right woman. Not as "mad" as it is
honest. (HL-18r/CG)_
□IGUANAGILA #1-2 ($5 from PO Box 347150, San Francisco,
CA 94134-7150): A new litmag that's off to an intriguing start. On
the high side is staff artist Mark Woody and their willingness to
serialize longer works and feature plenty of art. On the downside
are the pages where kooky typefaces and laserprint screens combine
to produce illegibility. But they'll get over that, and the co-editors
seem to have an ear for the unusual and interesti ng. (S-74t/MG)
IH3PA Vol.7 #1 ($7.00/membership from Rt.2, Box 2845,
Manistique, MI 49854): The initials stand for the International Home
and Private Poker Plyers' Association, which members receive along
with the right to play in sanctioned tournaments, buy discounted
products and be listed in a directory. Poker tips are given as well
as member information, tournament players and reunion updates.
(S-2/CG) _
The Journal of Strange Information
"A great zine." the chronicle
#3 is here ... I
_ Special Religion Issue |
• Altar Boys • Rastamen • Drug Cult
• Church Disruption \
• UFOs, MIBs _j^ (vy.
& The Nation of Islarri ’ ■— " ■
• Tracts • Holy Murders .
Also:
The Face on Mars • Weird book ^
reviews • Mayhem! • Weird People
f rom around the world. and
#1 and #2 still available
Single Copies $2 each; 4 issue sub. $9.
Cash or check made out to: Johnny Walsh
INFOCULT
P.O. Box 3124, East Hampton, NY 11937
□ILLITERATI #1 ($1 from PO Box 90658, San Jose, CA 95109):
A new litmag that's actively looking for stories up to 2000 words
(they also feature some poetry). Terrence Willett sets a stTange
opening tone with a story about a devious Bible salesman. Later
Brian Grimm plays with the boundaries between story and reality.
Includes a rubber stampart centerfold. (D-20t/MG)
IMMANENT FACE #2 ($2 from Carl Quesnel, PO Box 492, New
Town Branch, Boston, MA 02258): A litzine with a rather different
mix. M. Czalpinski contributes a couple of dreamy short stories
("Potato Weather" was fun), while Keisuke Hoashi writes about the
depressing fact that American children are now worshiping assassins
in his essay "Ninj a: The Unworthy Hero". (S-26t/M G)
THE IMMORTALIST Vol. 22 #3 ($25/yr from Immortalist Society,
24443 Roanoake, Oak Park, MI 48237): The newsletter of one of the
top cryonics organizations out there, this one scans and condenses
much general medical news, with an emphasis on aging. They also
talk about the activities of the Cryonics Institute and explore the
philosophical and technical dimensions of extended life. (S_J50t/MG)
IMPULSE #7 ($2 & a stamp from Jon George, Route 1, Red
Wing, MN 55066): An anarchist journal that seems to take a pretty
sensible line about a lot of things (with the usual caveat that I don't
approve of their support of groups like the RAF). Jon has put
together some great propaganda pamphlets here, from an introduc¬
tion to anarchy to some thoughts on the Gulf Wa r. (S-40r/MG)
INDUSTRIAL WORKER Mar. 1991 ($10/yr from 1095 Market St.
#210, San Francisco, CA 94103): The IWW paper has moved to San
Francisco, and it's out with a somewhat bland redesign and a
proposal to change the name to something with better vibes for
modern workers. The contents are largely focused on anti-war
organizing, including a nice article about the possibility of a General
Strike. (T-8t/MG) _ —
□INFANTAZINE #1 ($1 CASH from 501 Avis Dr. #1, Box #130,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104): A new zine of ranting and raving. The editor
starts out with some long screed about the aliens and the necessity
to kill them. Later on, there is a piece of bitchery directed at
anarchists who are not vegetarians. Not the happiest zine in the
world. (D-28/MG) _
INFO JOURNAL #62 ($3 from International Fortean Organiza¬
tion, PO Box 367, Arlington, VA 22210-0367): A delightful collection
of articles about things outside our usual ken, with plenty of
hat-tipping to the original Charles Fort (they even go so far as to
track down some of his sources and short stories). Gulf Breeze,
the Hill Star Map (or highway map?), and the strange case of "The
Electric Lady" sho w up in #62. (S-40t/MG) _
INSIDE ENVIRONMENT Vol.3 #3 ($$25/yr from PO Box 13061,
Lexington, KY 4(3583): An eco/environmental publication aimed
primarily at businesses who must deal directly with waste
management and regulations. It also covers financial environmental
news, such as environmental investing, and developing technology.
(T-31t/CG)
THE INSIDER GUN NEWS Vol. 5 #3-4 ($50/12 issues from The
Gunpress Publishing Co., PO Box 2441, Merrifield, VA 22116):
Continuing news and views from a source well-connected with the
gun industry and hobbyist groups. #3 is a one-issue issue, looking
at the candidates to replace Warren Cassidy in the NR A
administration. Lots more internal politics in #4, along with a bit
of post-Desert Storm news. (S-4/MG)
INSTAURATION Vol. 16 #4 ($30/12 issues from Howard Allen
Enterprises, PO Box 76, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920): I don't know
if finances are tight or what, but this racialist magazine is suddenly
without its slick cover. Inside, though, is still the same: a
consideration of the decline of American society, as provoked by
race-mixing and other ills, and the loss of our Northern European
heritage. (S-20t/MG)
INTERCEPTED Vol. 9 #11 ($1.17 US/$1.28 Canada/$1.99 else¬
where from Kay Shapero, 12536 Short Ave., Los Angeles, CA
90066): A collectively-written zine of sf and media madness. It's in
the form of short ads from various fictional characters, funny
animals, androids, and who knows who else. I see Morticia Addams
passing throygh, and the guy from Quantum Leap, and the Doctor,
and Ghu only knows who else. Various aids are also available for
the confused reader. (S-8r/MG)
INTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA Vol. 18 #3 (On request from
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
33
PO Box 2639, Reston, VA 22090): A Christian ministry newsletter
which combines prayer and politics in the hopes that one will
influence the effectiveness of the other. They rally for George Bush,
warn against spiritual warfare, and cover the nation's newspapers
for news of relate d subjects. (5-4t/CG) _
INTERRACE Mar. 1990 ($4 from PO Box 1001, Schenectady, NY
12301-1001): A magazine of support for interracial couples, transracial
adoptions, and biracial or multiracial people. They feature stories on
celebrities in interracial relationships, examine the problems one faces
in society, poll readers for advice and generally argue that everyone
has a right to their own identity free of racism. (S-24t/MG)
INTUITIVE EXPLORATIONS Vol. 4 #10 ($15/yr from PO Box
561, Quincy, IL 62306-0561): A zine of New Age thought, channeling,
practical exercises and more. #10 includes another essay from Antero
Alii, a review of a book which contends that legal problems are
spiritual problems in disguise (they do lots of reviews, and you can
mail-order much of this stuff through them) and notes on a way to
deal with the Taro t. (S-24t/MG) _
□IS IT PORN? #1-2 (50* from John Smurfburger, PO Box 134,
Waynesville, MO 65583): Well, mostly it isn't. Rather, this is a
medley of stuff, from crude ethnic jokes to articles clipped from
OMNI, porno pix to White Boy to Ace Backwords. Looks like the
remnants from a zinester's cutting-room floor. (D-8/MG)
□THE ISMIST ART JOURNAL #1-3 (75*/3 issues from Martin
Bormann's Cranial Splints, PO Box 8266, Philadelphia, PA 19101-
8166): Ismism is essentially another art movement glorifying nonsense
and spontaneity. They print a play made up as the author went
along, silly words, made-up letters, little drawings, and who knows
what else. Charming and short enough to be funny. (S-2t/MG)
□ISSUE #9 (75p. from 24 Eastwood Rd., Balsall Heath, Birming¬
ham, B12 9NB, UK): Who knows what the overseas price
is...Anyhow, this is a collectively-written zine, almost an apa, with
a strong Christian contingent among the writers. Topics in this issue
include the fate of the Green Party, the end of Thatcherism, cults,
the virgin birth, Christmas in our society, and bits of news from
the Gulf. (A4-16r/MG)_
ISSUES & VIEWS Vol. 7 #1 ($10/yr from PO Box 467, New
York, NY 10025): This "Open Forum on Issues Affecting the Black
Community" argues mostly for self-help and solid business entre¬
preneurship, in preference to government handouts and biased laws
intended to redress past injustices. They report on successful
businesses within the community, and encourage others to join the
trend. (S-12t/MG) _
JAG Vol. 29 #3-4 (On Request from R.S. Jaggard MD, 10 E.
Charles, Oelwein, IA 50662): A monthly polemic on Libertarian
ideals, from a physician who refuses to take money from the
government. In #3 he rails against those who would reward
paper-shuffling above serving people, and gives another glimpse into
his own success doing otherwise. #4 is about the tyranny of the
IRS. (L-l/MG) _
THE JAMES WHITE REVIEW Vol.8 #3 ($12/yr from POBox 3356,
Traffic Station, Minneapolis, MN 55403): A gay men's literary
quarterly with some very excellent prose and poetry included. The
literature ranges from topical to personal, with Lev Raphael's "Beth
Homo" standing out as a story about the life of a young Jewish
homosexual. (T-19t /CG) _
JASON UNDERGROUND'S NOTES FROM THE
TRASIICOMPACTOR #3 ($1 (?) from 2795 Via Vela, Camarillo, CA
93010): I'm pretty sure Jason is willing to give this one away, but
if he was charging a buck would be about right. It's a personalzine
with some Christian content—Jason being up front about being a
Christian—but a wide range of interests. Government wrongdoing,
book reviews, protests and thoughts on the late war are all part of
the recipe. (S-8/MG)_
JED YARICK NEWSLETTER Jan.1991 ($2.50/3 issues from
FFBristol Terrace #215, Lawrence, KS 66049): I think this guy is
getting his act together. Jed's personal life on display for all the
world to see, he's got ways to end the wars (a global battle of the
bands, out metal the enemy), saving the planet, a map of his
apartment, sightings from his mailing list, and girls. Also, there's a
plea to keep Tony Orlando out of the limelight with the resurgence
of yellow ribbons. (S-5/CG) _
JERICHO NEWSLETTER Vol. 1 #8-9 ($7/yr prisoners or $10/yr
everyone else from Michael A. Stephens 82951, ASPC PO Box
B-82951, Florence, AZ 85232): A newsletter for prisoners from prison.
Michael covers briefly various court cases of interest and news on
the selective incarceration policies in this country. He also publishes
an address list for those who desire penpals. In #9 he announces
plans for a woman's page, inviting words from women in prison.
(S-5/MG) _
THE JOE NEWS #8 (SASE for sample or $2/8 issues from PO
Box 153, Back Bay Annex, Boston, MA 02117): Well, apart from dark
threats of lawsuit (aimed at us!) in this issue, this semi-obscure
info-tainment personalzine is pretty good. Joe is a rather shadowy
figure, but his groupies (or followers, or whatever) write about him
in hushed tones, while passing on pearls of wisdom about the state
o the cultural worl d. A unique item. (S-l/MG)
JOHNNY ON THE SPOT #2 ($1 from 118 Surrey Ln., Lake
Forest, IL 60045): A mixed bag of reviews an opinion. Editor Bill
(not Johnny) explains the allure of Twin Peaks, talks about the WWF,
and gives a good strong plug for Jesus Lizard. Alternate war opinion,
comics, and a review of the last Screeching Weasel show also appear
in this issue. (D-20r/MG)_
□THE JUNK MAIL ARTIST Vol. 1 #1 (25* & SASE from
Christopher Martin, Rte. 1 Box 373, Charlottesville, VA 22903): For
everyone involved in the burgeoning junk mail movement, here at
last is a zine to put you in touch with other people. In this first
one, Christopher talks about the characteristics of junk mail and
starts listing partic ipants. (S-2t/MG) _
JUST KILLING TIME #14 ($2 CASH from 14227 Eventide,
Cypress, TX 77429): A gruesome collection of reprinted newspaper
and magazine articles, in this issue almost all about mass murderers
(including a long John gacy story). They also offer for sale various
videotapes, including special collections of "naked female celebrities".
(S-20t/MG) _
' KANDYKORN JACKHAMMER #3 ($1 (?) from Johnny Brewton,
POBox 1964, Venice, CA 93002): Alternative weirdness and oddities
converge with poetry and comics and otherstuff. There's a humorous
listing of unsold TV series pilots, "Ten Reasons Why the Sex Pistols
Didn't Save Rock and Roll," some poems about cigarettes, and an
interview with Bo b Forrest. Bizarrity with flavor. ( D-32r/CG)
KANSAS CITY FLYING DISC CLUB NEWSLETTER Vol. 2 #3
($15/yr from KCFDC, 9018 Hemlock, Overland Park, KS 66212): This
one is aimed at people who play "disc golf", a sport using flying
disks (Not "Frisbees", a trademarked term) in a competitive context.
They print mostly local news, although there is apparently a national
organization as we ll. (S-8t/MG) _
THE KANSAS INTELLIGENCER Vol. 5 #3-4 ($12/yr from R.W.
Clack, Rt. 1 Box 7A, Morganville, KS 67468): Outspoken monthly
commentary from a conservative who is not afraid to be an
individual. #3 has Clack's solution to the postwar Mideast situation:
encourage Kuwait to annex Iraq. (L-2t/MG) _
□KAOS ($9/yr from PO Box 11464, Honolulu, HI 96826): No issue
numbers of these tabloids, but it's the War Issue, the Spit Issue and
the Art For a Dying Nation Issue. iP;s got a wild 90's graphic feel,
with lots going on and heavy typographic and design play. Inside,
you get a column from Public Enemy, lots of art opposed to the
system, women & AIDS, overdevelopment in Hawaii, censorship
concerns, and lots more. An assault from the media underground.
(T-16t/MG) _
KATUAHJOURNAL
#30 ($1.50 single issue
from POBox 638, Leices¬
ter, NC Katuah Province
28748): An Appalachian
bioregional journal of
ecology, economy and
living in harmony with
the earth. Most articles
deal with building a re¬
gional economy, living
naturally and with as
little money as possible,
and organic subsistence.
Very noble efforts. (T-
35t/CG)
KEVHEAD MAGA-
LLMITED EDITION POSTCARDS
& STICKERS
BONDAGE, PINUP, MONSTERS
& MEDIA
7 CARDS—$1 & stamp, 15
CARDS—$2 & 2 stamps
DELUX SAMPLER—$5, A MUST
FOR MAIL ARTERS!
ILL-VIS, BOX 1421, NEW
BRUNSWICK, NJ 08903
CASH PREFERRED, M.O.
PAYABLE TO D. SPARTA.
34.
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
ZINE #3 ($15.95 membership from M & P Entertainment, PO Box
4386, Chicago, IL 60680-4386): A slightly off-center and in-joked zine
centering around what looks to be a minor celebrity in Chicago. I
believe he's a radio personality, judging from lots of photos of him
holding a microphone. There are interviews with Chicago's "fastest
growing rock legend" named Eddie, an interview with Kevin himself,
and lots of humor flaking by here and there. Cur ious. (S-12t/CG)
THE KEYSTONE SOCIALIST #1 (SASE (?) from Socialist Party
of Pennsylvania, 2208 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19146): The
newsletter—or, in this case, the sheet—of the Socialists in the Philly
area. This issue condemns the gulf war as immoral, and suggests
that some tax resistance is in order. (S-2/MG)
KHEPERA Vol.2 #2($2.50 from CES, POBox 7091, Burbank, CA
91510-7091): A sister publication toCES NEWSLETTER, this one
expands on the topics of paganism and related resources. An
Introduction to Ancient Egyptian Religion is given, plus the
cat-goddess Bast, and an article on the illusion of human
consciousness. A good starting point for any potential pagan.
(D-31/CG) _
KID'S LIB NEWS #21 ($12/yr from PO Box 108, Naahehu, HI
96772): A spiral-bound zine made up of reprints of mainstream and
otherstream articles dealing with bringing up and educating children.
The range of subjects is so wide as to defy classification; there's the
suppression of children's sexuality, geo-toys, wholistic attitudes
towards raising kids, all included with a general feeling of love and
energy. (S-47r/CG)_
KMT Spring 1991 ($9.50 from 1531 Golden Gate Ave., San
Francisco, CA 94115): A "Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt" that
features many many photos and solid articles about that land at the
start of history. This issue reports on several excavations, including
that of Miss Benson around the turn of the century and the more
recent work in the Valley of Kings. Fascinating stuff. (S-72t/MG>
KOOKS MAGAZINE #7 ($5 from Donna Kossy, PO Box 953,
Allston, MA 02134): The prime repository of the terminally (but
entertainingly) confused people in the country today. Kossy sets her
sights widely, from relatively mainstream Christian nuts like Bob
Larson to the Quacks of Old London to decidedly fringe religions
and lone kooks. The reproduced posters and manifestos alone are
worth the price here. (S-40t/MG)
THE KRONICLES OF THE KILLER PIGS OF THE PLANET
ZOOM-ZOOM AND OTHER STOOPID GAMES AND STORIES
CREATED BY ME BECAUSE I WAS BORED ONE DAY Vol. 1 #3
(50tf (?) from John J. Beasley, 413 Corapeake Dr., Cheseapeake, VA
23320): A collection of random writings and humor. This issue has
something on Jim Bakker's sentencing (yeah, it took a while to see
print) and 10 goo d reasons to eat meat. (L-4r/MG)
KRYLON UNDERGROUND Apr. 1991 ($1 from R. German, PO
Box 5830, Bethesda, MD 20824-5830): Weird stuff indeed here, a
random walk through the margins of our culture. There's an interview
with Tesco Vee, the latest word on the invading aliens, and the
details of the Employee Resistance Program. They also have a fat
list of contacts, some socially correct petitions, and notes on the
media budget of t he CIA. (D-32t/MG) _
THE LADIES' FETISH & TABOO SOCIETY COMPENDIUM
OF URBAN ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. IV #1 ($1.50 from PO Box
542327, Houston, TX 77254-2327): "Always amusing, always confus¬
ing", this one ranges around the theory of obstacles, bizarre reader
correspondence, burning questions of the day, and recipes for Peanut
Brittle Salad. It seems to be a magnet for weird stuff in the universe,
from mainstream (more or less) news to the Seven Dwarves
discussing philoso phy. (S-lOr/MG) _
THE L.A. GANG BANG #29-30 ($9/yr from 1212A N. San
Fernando #244, Burbank, CA 91504): The lives of four cool people
out in Los Angeles are getting entangled with the rest of us as
people write in, join their review column, and generally have fun.
In #29 Gary reports on finally getting an acting job, while Lee
complains about war profiteers. #30 includes reader suggestions on
what to name the baby (you'll have to get a copy to find out which
of the editors are having it). Mostly light and entertaining, and
always fun. (S-6r/MG)_
LA MIRACLE TATOUE #2 (? from Remy Dusseaux, 18 Place
des Pradettes, Apt. 79D, 31100 Toulouse, FRANCE): An interesting
literary magazine, all in French and perfect bound, that publishes
work by French writers and translations of poetry and essays
originally written in "American" and German. The poetry and prose
in the issue is generally interested in simple "poetic" moments,
epiphanies with little story or consequence. The magazine is held
together with stark xero- and videographic visual pieces, especially
the dense collages of Francoise Duvivier and the acorporal line
drawings of Eric Masse. The editors are interested in seeing
submissions of writing and drawings, and are looking for places to
distribute their journal on our continent. (128pp./Reviewed by Geof
Huth) _
□LA ROCA Vol. 17 #4 ($12/yr from La Roca/Subscription Dfept.,
PO Box 629, Florence, AZ 85232): A very Impressive magazine from
within the Arizona state prison system. They print news of interest
to inmates (legal, medical, unit sports and more), drawings, stories,
and opinion pieces. They seem to have a pretty free reign, and the
design and layout are impeccable—and it's all inmate-produced, from
writing to printing . (S-64t/MG) _
THE LATEST NEWS March 1991 (["Stamps or small amounts of
cash are always appreciated"] from Jennifer Payne, 501 Durham
Road, Madison, CT 06443): Jen's personal zine in which we become
friends with her immediately. Very easy style of writing, and we
find out what's going on in her life, the trials and tangles of
unemployment lines and forms, her proposed move to Boston and
just what she thin ks about men. Good layout, too . (S-4/CG)
LAUGHING BEAR NEWSLETTER #36 ($8/12 issues from PO
Box 36159, Denver, CO 80236): A review newsletter which keeps a
wry eye on the small press. This issue takes a look at some of the
more outrageous practices in competitions, and then reviews a
number of litmags. These range from the super-spiffy ONTHEBUS
to the shareware ANGRY. Fun reviews. (S-3/MG)
LAUGHTER WORKS Vol. 3 #1 ($5 from 222 Selby Ranch Rd.
#4, Sacramento, CA 95864): A newsletter about humor and its uses
on the job. These people are of the opinion that a laughing workplace
is a healthier workplace, and they discuss the uses of humor in
TWISTED IMAGE b * Ace Backwords
'30 £, THIS IS bob HACK 'irGEE.-PorrH
'does the media Regularly ^
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REPORTING live withtwat^
NON-SToRY//
FROM CHANNEL 5!! IVE OUST
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RUNNING A BIG NON-SToRY
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FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
35
motivation, training, and just making for a better working
atmosphere. (S-8t/ MG) _
THE LAVENDER NETWORK Feb.-Mar. 91 ($25/yr from PO Box
5421, Eugene, OR 97405): A superior gay/lesbian communications
and lifestyles magazine, whose range is so wide that it becomes
one of those magazines that hangs around for months. Current
events news starts at the community level and. heads on towards
the national scene, with ACT UP notes, fiction, open forums and
even an enlightening article on dating etiquette—which isn't
necessarily restricted to gay/lesbian relationships. There's also "Dykes
to Watch Out For," which is always a treat. There's even a gay
BBS in their ads. ( S-76t/CG/MG) _
□LEAVES OF GRASS #11-12 ($12/12 issues from A Slow Tempo
Press, 2746 Everett, Lincoln, NE 68502): I don't know quite what to
make of this one. #11 has got some literary qualities, with a play
excerpt from Billy the Shake inside and a Walt Whitman paper on
the cover. But it's also got several pages about ecologically sound
lawn care, and some notes on the New Liberation News Service.
#12 makes it a bit clearer, with arguments for taking back our lives
and protecting the earth. Informative and idiosync ratic. (S-8t/MG)
L'ECHO DES CHANTIERS #9 ($1 (?) from Kurt Beaulieu, 4230
Pierre de Coubertin #9, Montreal, Que., HIV 1A4, CANADA): Three
collages by Kurt, putting people in conjunction with perplexing
captions. Somethin g to add a little edge to your l ife. (S-3/MG)
LEFT BUSINESS OBSERVER #44 ($20/yr from 250 W. 85th St.,
New York, NY 10024-3217): International business and finance news
from a decidedly leftist thought. While some of the info is complex,
it is also quite readable and explained well. This issue discusses the
demographic and economic makeup of Kuwait, our "embarrassing
connections" to Iraq, and our very own recession and its status.
(S-8/CG) _
LEFT GREEN NOTES #6 ($10/yr from PO Box 5566, Burlington,'
VT 05402): A newsletter for people on the Marxist and anarchist
side of the Greens movement. This issue has complaining letters
from some who feel their political oxen have been gored, more on
the network running, and articles on study groups and self-organi¬
zation. It also has the news that Murray Bookchin is departing from
the Greens. (S-24t/MG)_
LE LEJBO KARNI #14 ($4 from The Logical Language Group,
2904 Beau Ln., Fairfax, VA 22031): This is the newsletter of the
people developing lojban, an artificial language based on the work
done in designing Loglan. This issue has news on their legal status,
publicity, and a translation of Goldilocks into lojban. For the $4,
you'll get their complete introductory packet, including enough to
get started learning the language. Those who develop a strong
interest will also want to read the more technical journal JUT
LOBYPLI (nearly 100 pages, $10.40) with its discussion of the
language's evolution, formal machine grammars, net discussions and
lots more.(S-10/MG)_
□A LETTER FROM MERLIN Summer 9990 (Donation from Merlin
Stone, Box 266-201 Varick St., New York, NY 10014): A newsletter
from Merlin Stone, author of WHEN GOD WAS A WOMAN. She
reports on the latest archaeological evidence about the spread of
Goddess figures in this issue. There are also short bits about all
manner of women 's spirituality books and events. (S-4/MG)
THE LETTER PARADE Feb. 1991 ($10/yr from Bonnie Jo
Enterprises, PO Box 52, Comstock, MI 49041): This one really is
quite a bit like a letter, from a correspondent who stuffs odd bits
of things into her envelope before mailing it off to you. In February
we have a story about her family, a paper pattern for a kayak,
strange news and an ad for tours via bike of Eastern Europe.
(S-6/MG) __
LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE (1 Russell Chambers, The Piazza,
Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8AA, ENGLAND): This organization
puts out essays under a variety of titles, with a generally free market
outlook. Of the latest batch I especially enjoyed (if that is the word)
Ted Goodman's LEGAL NOTES #14, on the current censorship laws
in Britain. They also get into western history, the evils of monopoly,
and much more. ( A4-2t/MG) _
LIBERTARIAN FAMILIST Vol.10 #3 (On Request from PO Box
4826, El Paso, TX 79914-4826): The newsletter for libertarians who
are deeply rooted in children's rights and familism. This issue is an
excerpt from a book by Ken Schooland on "the dark side of Japanese
eduction," which, it seems, holds a lot more myths than that of
American educatio n. (S-6t/CG) _
LIBERTARIAN LABOR REVIEW #10 ($5/yr from PO Box 2824,
Champaign, IL 61825): Anarchosyndicalist "ideas and discussion"
from around the world. The fifteen or so articles represent an
international array of topics discussed, including workers and
self-management in Italy, environmental awareness, and the founding
of a Russian syndicalist union. Many of the articles are reprinted
from speeches given at the International Syndicalist Conference held
in Sweden last No vember. (S-44t/CG) _
LIBIDO Vol. 3 #2 ($26/4 issues from PO Box 146721, Chicago,
IL 60614): "The Journal of Sex and Sensibility" continues to print
interesting and different photos and stories, as well as commentary
about sex in America and beyond. There's a great hot story here
from David Vineyard in this issue, a thoughtful essay from Judson
Jerome on sex aft er forty, and plenty more. (D-80 t/MG)
□LIFE CARROTS POTATOS DEATH Limbo Issue ($5 (?) from
PO Box 192261, San Francisco, CA 94119-2261): A perfectbound
litmag with an experimental cast to the writing (mostly short prose
but with some poetry thrown in). There are slices of life, fragments
of memory, a trip to the hairdresser, fantasies of the afterlife, wisps
of allusions to things never quite grasped. The work all does relate
to the theme of limbo, leaving the reader along with the characters
uncertain of the fu ture. (D-140t/MG) _
□LIFE-SIZED HUMAN SKULL #1 ($1.00 from Steven J. Bladek,
E. 12924 9th Ave., Spokane, WA 99216): A new literary zine with
less pretensions and more verve. The fiction is mostly horror, but
it's subtle, kind of like a modern reading of the horror classics (i.e.
[FRANKENSTEIN]). It's all emotional scariness. Then there's some
poetry (a terrific poem by Pete Lee: "Pay Phones Are Like Whores"),
a little intergalactic horror comics. All around fun rea ding. (HL-31/CG)
□LIFESTYLES OF THE BODILY DISMEMBERED #4 (75* from
Jason Stephenson, 1702 Burns Ave., St. Paul, MN 55106): This one
is mainly about movies, though they do throw in an interview with
a local band and a book review. The lead story is about Henry ,
Portrait of a Serial Killer and it sets the tone for the rest of their
reviews. (S-7/MG) _
LIGHT & LIBERTY #10 ($3 from Lawrence E. Christopher, PO
Box 33, Woodstock, NY 12498): A zine of essays, mostly from a
libertarian or New Age point of view. In this issue Lawrence explains
why he supported the war despite considering himself a liberal, and
there's a guest editorial on why gun control is not a solution to
violence. (S-8/MG)_
LIGHTWORKS #20/21 ($5 from PO Box 1202, Birmingham, MI
48012-1202): A slick-covered zine of underground art—which recog¬
nizes its own paradoxical nature. There's an interview with Richard
Kostelanetz here, as well as a series of pieces on Neoism and the
Art Strike. Rubber stamping, mail art, bits of sandpaper glued in,
it's all here, a mu seum of the underground at wo rk. (S-72t/MG)
LINCOLN BULLETIN #92 (SASE (?) from PO Box 94629, Lincoln,
NE 68509): This litzine continues to mutate formats. This time it is
a single clip of paper with a gargantuan fish on one side and "A
Poem By Bill" on the other. Bill's work reminds me a bit of St.
Stephen Xavier of Trever—which is good. (M-2/MG )
LITERARY MAGAZINE REVIEW Vol. 10 #1 ($5 from The English
Department, Denison Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
66506): Essay-length reviews are the order of the day here (and in
fact some of the reviews are more on the scene in general than the
particular magazine they are ostensibly reviewing). This issue tackles
a great many titles which should be familiar to FF readers, including
LOST AND FOUND TIMES, TEMM, FINE MADNESS and
IMPETUS. Nice to see what a more establishment journal has to
say about some o f us outlaws. (D-48t/MG) _
LITTLE FREE PRESS #84 (Free from Ernest Mann, Rt. 1, Box
102, Cushing, MN 56443): Political, social and economic commentary
from Ernest Mann, whose been living simply and seeking Utopia
for many years. His belief in the abolition of money serves for much
of his argument with the system. This issue looks to Desert Storm
as a scam, talks of the people creating their own media and tries
to find peace with in himself. (S-4/CG) _
LITTLE SKULL'S BAY-BEE #17 (1 stamp from PO Box 481051,
Los Angeles, CA. 90048): The punk interview zine is still going
strong. Interspersed with underground art, Carrie asks her readers
questions and collects their answers. This time it's "What would
1
36
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
you do if you had some bucks to blow?" One of the questions for
#19 is "Why do you think there are so few females in the
underground/altern ative scene?" (M-8/MG) _
LIVING FREE #61 ($1.50 [cash preferred] from Jim Stumm, PO
Box 29, Hiler Branch, Buffalo, NY 14223): A zine for people who
are searching for liberty today. Jim passes along some libertarian
movement news, but mainly LF is a place to talk about self-reliance,
cheap survival, and slipping through the cracks. Learn about survival
kits and a new ki nd of hybrid apa/zine in this iss ue. (S-8r/MG)
LIZZENGREASY Vol.2 #1-2 ($2.00 [CASHONLY] from Dai Ni
Kuroda Kopo 203, Funabashi 5-30-6, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo 156,
JAPAN): American and other assorted international expatriates living
and working in Japan try to recreate for us their experiences and
advice and cultural advantages. Always fun to read, #1 is the
"selling" issue (I think, they didn't mention it, but it looks like it),
with essays on the various methods of sales in Japan e.g. street
selling, fast-food, vending machines, 7-Eleven's and even selling your
own airline ticket to a stranger. #2 is the "work" issue, in which
we find out how to get a hostessing job in Japan (those who are
paid to party), the employment situation there and how it affects
those of us in the states, the state of the jobaholic, and how to be
craftily creative in writing a resume. There's also the Great Fish
stories and the usual zine and book reviews. (S-20r/CG)
LOLA FISH #9 (IRCs (?) from Bruno Pommey, 36, residence Jean
Mace, 28300 Mainvilliers, FRANCE): A zine of mail art, with
contributions from all over. This issue has Blair Wilson on the cover
and prison art from Mike Kelly inside, as well as Polish, Italian and
German pages. Bruno also reviews other zines. (S-18/MG)
LOLLYGAGGING #33-34 (The Usual from Chuck Connor, Sildan
House, Chediston Rd., Wissett, Nr. Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 0NF,
ENGLAND): Chuck's contribution toPIECES OF EIGHT apa, it's
sf/personal/Britfan oriented that lets Chuck toot his horn and have
fun. #33 has some sexuality and genitalia in sf while following
closely on its heels #34 is mostly responses to apa b uddies. (S-15/CG)
LONGEVITY REPORT #26 ($23/yr from J. de Rivaz, West Towan
House, Porthtowan, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8AX, UK): This one is for
people who are interested in life extension by whatever means. #26
reports on the drug MSM, a derivative of DMSO which shows some
promise, and continues a controversial series from a consultant who
says he will help you arrange cryonic suspensions. (A4-20t/MG)
THE LOOGIE #3-4 ($1 & a stamp from Andrew Mullen, 435
Probasco #3, Cincinnati, OH 45220): A zine of essays and stTange
literature. #3 includes a discussion with two gay people about the
problems of coming out and a nasty cat-hatePs cartoon. #4 opens
with an editorial decrying their previous review in FF as an attempt
to destroy their fledgling zine, and proceeds with a story told from
the point of view of several cigarettes, academic fantasy by Solomon
Davidoff, and a comparison of the war in Iraq to Yellow Submarine.
(D-16t/MG)_ .
THE LOST PERUKE XXVII/XXVIII ($2.50 from PM Kellerman,
PO Box 1525, Highland Park, NJ 08904): An independent humor
zine that's getting pretty good at simple sardonic commentary. This
issue is still focused on the war—"The war may be over, but the
writing has just begun". Morbidly amusing is Kellerman's rating of
the allstars among the media people, flanked by historical commen¬
tary and fractured photos. (D-48/MG) _
LOVE & RAGE Vol. 2 #2-3 ($7/yr from Box 3, Prince St. Sta.,
New York, NY 10012): The "revolutionary anarchist newsmonthly"
seems to be allowing in more dissenting opinion these days; in #3
Bob McGlynn takes the previous issue to task for an "anti-imperialist"
analysis of the war that appeared in the previous issue. Other
contents include still more from Christopher Day on an "anarchist
network" (which many anarchists view with deep suspicion) and an
intro to anarcha-fe minism, (T-16t/MG) _
□LOVE GODDESS DELUXE #1 ($1.50 from Matt Thomas, 409
Eastlake Ave. E #201, Seattle, WA 98109): A collection of poetry,
comics and miscellany, including the further adventures of Arbo,
the space-voyaging tot. Ronald Kittell and Sigmund Weiss are among
the poets here, and the zine also features some art and short essays.
(S-32/MG) _
LOVERS REVOLT #13-14 ($1 from PO Box 6042, Minneapolis,
MN 55406): In quotes and photos, this one preaches the idea of
love as a solution for most problems. The editor digs up pieces
from all over, about making a better world through treating people
with love. (D-20/MG)
□LOVING CONTACT Vol. 4 #26 (Donation from Connie Denault,
PO Box 471, Kankakee,m IL 60901): This is a litmag, sort of, put
together by a group that does prison ministry work.^Most of the
contributions are letters and stories from people behind the walls,
though they don't turn away anyone. A gentle, caring sort of zine.
(D-48r/MG) _
□LUVBOAT EARTH #9 (25* from Joshua Glenn, S.U. Box 1750,
Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267): Looking for a more
"Jizmic reality," this is an uncommon and occasional zine of pop
culture and awaitment of the dreaded New Year's Eve 1999. It's a
little uneven yet, but fun—with Spiderman captions, "depressing
photographs" of weeping Mills College students. Pres. Bush,
apocalyptic coloring book scenes, some poetry and some required
reading which includes Henry Rollins, Mary Daly, and Pagan
Kennedy. (HL-28/CG)_
THE MADISON INSURGENT Vol. 4 #16-19 ($25/yr from PO
Box 704, Madison, WI 53701-0704): A collectively-produced leftist
paper which covers all the hot issues. #16 is a special on AIDS,
with the latest from ACT UP, the special problems faced by women
PWAs, and so on. #18 proves that even leftists have a sense of
humor, with an April Fools spoof issue on the back of their regular
one. I almost died laughing at Alison Bechdel's cartoon in #19; their
coverage of the annual Mifflin Street block party planning is also
excellent. (T-12t/MG)_
A MADMAN'S DREAM Vol. II #6 ($1 from 7146 Remmet Ave.
#120, Canoga Park, CA 91303): Buried in the back of this collection
of original writings and reprints is an article from the editor, about
how to have fun slicing yourself up with razor blades (and yes, it's
completely serious). Other, less jarring contents include poetry from
Sigmund Weiss and others, , zine reviews, a bit from the X-Rated
Bible, and some g ruesome Charles Pinion art. (S-2 2/MG)
□MAD WORLD SURVIVAL GUIDE #1 (SASE & $1 CASH from
PO Box 791377, New Orleans, LA 70179-1377): A new zine of
underground opposition to the system. They seem more interested
in pouring a bit of sand into the gears than in planning grandiose
revolutions. The first issue includes notes on spraypainting,
suggestions on a more cruelty-free life, complaints about taxes that
favor the rich, and demands that the reader do some thing ! (D-16r/MG)
MAGIC WARS #3 ($2 from Joseph Kerrick, PO Box 17231,
Philadelphia, PA 19105): With this issue Joseph wraps up his telling
of his own part in the secret history of the late 70's and the early
80's. It's a wild metaphysical ride, with reprinted rant tracts,
correspondences between Live Aid, Joseph's own magickal workings,
and the Great Work, a reincarnation of Mickey Mouse, and lots
more. We didn't learn this stuff in school, that's for sure. (S-16/MG)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
37
MAINE PROGRESSIVE Mar. 1991 ($10/yr from 387 Gorham Rd.,
Scarborough, ME 04074): A coalition of progressive interests come
together here, with the cover having labor news, an article on the
threats of large trucks to Maine highways, and a pointer to the
anti-war material within. They also print plenty of reviews and news
briefs, plus contact info for Maine organizations. ( T-32t/MG)
MAIN EVENT March-April 1991 ($1 from Slammers Wrestling
Gym, PO Box 1602, Studio City, CA 91614): The newsletter from
the gym that can train you to become a Gorgeous George if you
want to. They also report on latest news at the gym and sell items
like t-shirts and w restling watches. (L-4/CG) _
□MAN! #7-10 ($11/4 issues from 1611 West Sixth St., Austin, TX
78703): A quarterly magazine addressing men's issues, relationships
and recovery. Somewhat New Age in approach, the articles are
sensitive and probing, covering lifestyles, health, rites of passage,
intimacy and the courage of showing grief and anger. The
photographs are s uperb. (S-49t/CG) _
MANTEIA #5 ($50/4 issues [no personal checks] from Sheila
Wilding, 17645 via Sereno, Los Gatos, CA 95030): An international
and probing magazine of the mantic arts—that includes tarot, I-Ching,
runes, geomancy, symbolic games, etc. The articles on tarot are
quite exploratory, with news of historical origins, female archetypes,
the "Celtic Tarot," and a proposed draft for a tarot vocabulary.
(S-56t/CG) __
MARKTIME #4 ($1 from Mark Strickert/ELCA, 8765 W. Higgins
Rd., Chicago, IL 60631): A collection of notes on Mark's interests
and bits from his apazines. He discusses his travels past and future,
collections (including radio stations he can provide tapes of)/ fanzines,
transit systems, and more. A myriad of interests to get fascinated
by. (D-20r/MG) __
MASSACRE #2 ([pound]4 from Indelible Inc., BCM 1698, London,
WC1N 3XX, ENGLAND): A risk-taking literary journal, a "sampler
of possibilities." It explores experimental prose (some have to be
read and deciphered a number of times), looks back on the Theatre
of the Absurd and offers umpteen versions of Meryl Streeps mouth.
Richard Kostelanetz's"Relationships" stands out and reads like most
honest diaries should. Also check out Carol T. Noble's "The Evolution
of Plot" for some more accessible originality. (D-8 4t/CG)
MAT MARKETPLACE #2-3 ($2 from PO Box 2371, Jamaica Plain,
MA 02130): A zine for wrestling fans who are into wrestling
collectibles. They run listings for free (on a space-available basis)
and feature articles about the history of the sport and various things
one might pick up to remember it by. Very well produced. #3
spotlights the vari ous series of wrestling trading c ards. (S-lOt/MG)
MAXINE'S PAGES #14 ($1 from Crystal Rain, PO Box 866,
Manchester, GA 31816): This time around the mysterious Maxine
takes a look at the drugs outlawed by the Georgia Criminal Code.
What a surprise, she finds natural botanical sources for most of
them, and even appends a list of references and a list of sources!
There is also a report from the most recent meeting of the
Southeastern Small Press. (S-4/MG) _
□MEANDERER #1-2 ($1 (?) from Sherman T. Chan, 70-08 165
St., Flushing, NY 11365-4224): A zine of personal recollections
illustrated with photos—unfortunately, many of the photos in the
first issue were too dark to copy well; fortunately, the problem is
licked in #2. #1 tells the story of Sherman's New Year's in Times
Square, which was apparently not nearly as fun as it looks on TV.
#2 explores life in a dormitory. (S-10/MG) _
MENTERTAINMENT Mar. 1991 ($1.50 from Box 9445, Elizabeth,
NJ 07202): This one comes in several different local editions in the
Northeast, each devoted to erotic dancers, strippers, and the bars
and clubs where you can see them. Editor Sophie talks to the girls
and the guys, prints plenty of photos, and encourages a happy
chatty letter colum n. (S-60t/MG) _
MESECHABE #8 ($12/yr from 7725 Cohn St., New Orleans, LA
70118): "The Journal of Surre(gion)alism", this one mixes a
commitment to a saner ecological vision for the lower Mississippi
with a variety of art and culture pages. This issue starts off with
some notes on the Mardi Gras Indians, a bit of folk knowledge not
well preserved. There are poems and book reviews and drawings
of new constellations too, all apparently in the hopes of waking
people up to a kn owledge of connections with the earth. (S-28t/MG)
MESSAGE POST March 1991 ($1 from POBox 190, Philomath,
OR 97370): "Portable Dwelling Info-Letter" written by and for readers
who wish to learn how to live lightly and portably. Solar energy
products, horse-trekking, gatherings and even related zine reviews
listed. They also have a listing of light living products for sale.
(D-20r/CG) _
MGM April 1991 ($1 from POBox 1124, Keene, NH 03431): This
stands for Monadnock Gay Men, a newsletter from a group who
meets on a weekly basis. The two-sided broadsheet lists events,
plans for the summer, support and counseling groups and some
reprints from local newspapers about recent hate crimes. (S-2/CG)
□MICHTAV-HABIRU Vol.l #1 ($2 Sample copy from POBox 106,
Allston, MA 02134): A new bimonthly periodical of the Jewish-Pagan
network. Continuing research into the roots of Judaism and its
nature-religion origins combine with erudite discussions (with the
celebrated Jacob Rabinowitz and pickled herring and vodka) on the
ancestry of Rabbinic Judaism. A reading list is included, along with
an appeal for cont ributors and reader response. (D -12r/CG)
newMICMAC-MALISEET NATIONS NEWS Vol. 2 #1-4 ($12/yr
in Canada, $20/yr elsewhere from The Confederacy of Mainland
Micmacs, PO Box 1590, Truro, NS B2N 5V3, CANADA): An
independent newspaper for Native people on the Atlantic coast
(primarily of Canada, though I note a bit of Maine news too). They're
going strong without government help, coverings sports, culture,
politics, and lots more. (T-36t/MG) _
MICROWAVE NEWS Vol. 11 #2 ($250/6 issues from PO Box
1799, Grand Central Sta., New York, NY 10163): A continuing survey
of the various research, medical and legislative news surrounding
the hazards of non-ionizing radiation. Along with more on power
line exposure and the possible dangers of VDTs during pregnancy,
this issue reports on a cluster of suspicious cancer cases in police
officers using rada r guns. (S-12t/MG) _
MIDNIGHT IN HELL #5 ($2 from The Cettage, Smithy Brae,
Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, PA13 4EN, SCOTLAND): A zine of short
horrific fiction, notes from the various horror media, and dark art.
James Morrison scores here with "Strange Ways to Kill", which
starts out as something like a James Bond pastiche and ends with
a delicious bit of nastiness. (A4-20/MG0 _
□MIDNIGHT ZOO Vol. 1 #2 ($4.95 from PO Box 8040, Walnut
Creek, CA 94596): A fat zine of SF & horror and fantasy small press
work, with dozens of stories, artwork, reviews, advice for writers,
and more. Kevin O'Donnell Jr. hits the mark with "Far From the
Madding Crowd" while Bucky Montgomery gets slightly risque in
"It's Not the Size That Counts"—to name just two of the writers
here. This one should keep genre readers busy for quite a while.
(S-152t/MG)
MIND MATTERS REVIEW #9A ($8/yr from 2040 Polk St. #234,
San Francisco, CA 94109): A wordy but nonetheless sincere effort
to ensure the separation and distinguishing aspects of the mind over
most philosophies, religions, and matters that sometimes rely solely
on emotions—such as the former. They do not take any policial
stands, only enough to reiterate that there are more than a few
stands out there and each should be heard from. Interesting article
on dualism and how it
functions in relation to
propaganda. (A4-6/CG)
MIRKWOOD #3 ($2
from Joe Lane, PO Box
4083, Terre Haute, IN
47804): This is FF colum¬
nist Joe Lane's own zine,
about the ins and outs of
small press publishing. In
this issue Joe Singer, Fred
Woodworth and others
tackle the question of dis¬
tribution—Fred in partic¬
ular is his usual delightful
cantankerous self. Hal
Speer also ruminates on
the economics of maga¬
zine manufacturing in the
mainstream. (D-20r/MG)
MISC. #54-55 ($7/yr
from Clark Humphrey,
JMnngu JStack
Has Lunch With Eris...
Drops Acid With "Bob "...
Made Ace Backwards Pope...
What can We do for You?
Anarchy, Political Humor, Twisted
Satire and Original Cartoons. New
writers always welcome. $2 for 2
sample issues to: 1750 30th st #323,
Boulder, Co. 80301 (303) 440-9825.
payment of $10 per item used!
38
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
1630 Boylston Box #203, Seattle, WA 98122): Social commentary and
wit from Clark, who tells us things we didn't even know we needed
to know—like the connection between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
and imitation imitation vanilla. The war's silliness is also prominent
in #54, along with local cultural offerings. Fax subs also available
for $9 a year. (S-2 t/MG) _
MONGO STACK Vol. II ($3 from 1750 30th St. #323, Boulder,
CO 80301): Humor with a strong Discordian influence. This issue in
fact reprints from some classic Discordian works, including one that
hasn't even been published yet! There are also Ace Backwords
cartoons, an essay about zines and memes by Mark Frauenfelder,
reviews of strange books, and a proposal to make gambling
mandatory. It's a weird world out there. (S-24t/MG)
MONK #10 ($18/8 issues from 175 Fifth Ave. #2322, New York,
NY 10010): This is certainly the most wildly successful personalzine
ever, Mike and Jim Monk having parlayed their travels into a glossy
mag with a fat circulation and trendy ads. The core is still their
observations of the human herd, from Annie Sprinkle's latest to
Coney Island to the horrors of having their motorhome burglarized.
Mike turned 40 for this issue, and a substantial chunk of it is devoted
to examining his mid-life crisis. (S-80t/MG) _
MONSTER #49-53/54 (50* from Kronos Productions, MPO Box
67, Oberlin, OH 44074-0067): Coverage of movies about monsters,
from the classic ridiculousness of Abbott and Costello monster movies
through Godzilla to the latest foreign spectacles. #51/52 is a 75*
double issue on movies Tim Paxton is hying to track down based
on intriguing publi city shots and mentions. (D-8t/M G)
MONSTERS & MOVIES ($1.50 (?) from Peripheral Press, PO
Box 6920, Alexandria, VA 22306): A zine for those who cut their
teeth on horror movies on TV. This issue is devoted entirely to
Morgus, a New Orleans host who had some brief popularity
elsewhere in the country. Includes clippings, essays, and some
history. (D-32/MG)
THE MOUNTAIN ASTROLOGER Apr./May 1991 ($3.50 from PO
Box 11292, Berkeley, CA 94701): A fat zine covering all aspects of
modern astrology. There is astrological analysis of world affairs,
SEX SLAVES
Are featured frequently in my sleazy, perverted zines, which are:
Naughty Naked Dreamgirls #8 - It’s bath time for Alicia, but
only for her rectum! Plus: A wild weekend of whips and chains!
REVIEWED IN THE ZINES SECTION OF FACTSHEET FIVE
Naughty Lingerie #3 - Sex kitten Susie is taught the pleasures of
pooping! Then: A backyard orgy! And: Driving naked in L.A.!
REVIEWED IN THE ZINES SECTION OF FACTSHEET FIVE
Each zine is 18 big pages, postpaid! Adults only.
NEW text gives you much more story per page!
PRO artwork covers by Eric Peterson!
Prices: U.S: $2.00 per issue. Canada: $3.00 per issue. Foreign:
$4.00 per issue. We pay ALL postage, even to foreign countries!
U.S. Dollars only. Checks must be made payable to Andrew Roller
Andrew Roller, P.O. Box 221295, Sacramento, CA 95822, U.S .A.
Your cash order SHIPPED WITHIN 24 HOURS if it is in stock.
All zines are now mailed in envelopes!
All back issues now in stock! $2.00 each
notes on new kinds of charts, astrology cartoons, "The Myths of
Pluto", the relationship between astrology and psychometry, and
plenty more. (S-60 t/MG) _
MSRRT NEWSLETTER Vol. 4 #3 (52* SASE from Chris Dodge
& Jan DeSirey, 4645 Columbus Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55407): A
newsletter for socially-conscious librarians and interested others. They
review periodicals and books that might otherwise slip through the
cracks, and note ways in which librarians can organize. War
resistance is still h ot in #3. (S-16/MG) _
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SELF-HELP PROJECT NEWSLETTER
Vol. 5 #4 (SASE from PO Box 7573, Berkeley, CA 94707): This one
is strictly no-frills. The focus is on providing useful information to
MS patients, whether this be new devices for low-stress exercise,
addresses for catal ogs, or reviews of current book s. (S-3/MG)
MURTAUGH ($1(?) from Spike Vrusho, 137 Emerson PI.,
Brooklyn, NY 11205): Baseball season is upon us now and Spike
and pals have brought back this singular zine of America's pasttime
and other assorted goodies. He's since moved to "the cradle of
baseball" and talks about Brooklyn, some baseball memories, a
dialogue with Hill Of Beans, and some music. With every issue
comes your very own baseball card. Can somebody tell me what
the "Rust Belt" is? (S-8/CG)
MUSEUM INSIGHTS Vol. 3 #2 ($28/6 issues from PO Box 313,
North Amherst, MA 01059): Nancy Frazier edits this little gem, a
continuing guide to museums off the beaten path that are worth a
visit. This issue has the Worcester Art Museum and the Asian Art
Museum in Golden Gate Park. There's also a note from Hal Speer
on the occasion of visiting the Dillinger Museum, and other good
pointers. (S-8t/MG)
THE MYSTERY & ADVENTURE SERIES REVIEW #23 ($10/4
issues from Fred Woodworth, PO Box 3488, Tucson, AZ 85722):
More for people who love the Hardy Boys, Tommy Rockford, Kid
Rio and dozens of other series characters. Along with reviews and
reminiscence you get a good dose of Woodworth orneriness, with
strong comments on everything from rip-off prices to the decline of
typography to the stupidity of Morse Code. (D-44 t/MG)
NAAPM NEWSLETTER #47 ($10/yr from 2735 Benvenue #3,
Berkeley, CA 94705): The initials stand for the National Association
for the Advancement of Perry Mason and you guessed it, that's
what this newsletter is all about. This issue talks to S. John Launer,
the actor who played a semi-regular judge on the television series
for many years. It also has PM history, books for sale, videographics,
and an article on Marshall Houts, legal consultant on the program
and friend of Erie Stanley Gardner. (D-18/CG)
NAMBLA BULLETIN Vol. 12 #1-3 ($30/yr from PO Box 174,
Midtown Sta., New York, NY 10018): The newsletter of the North
American Man/Boy Love Association, a group that insists that
consensual relationships between men and boys are not necessarily
evil. They print legal notes from all over, bits of fiction, and news
on the image of pedophiles in the gay community. #2 has a really
excellent article on the new Federal laws on child pornography, and
their tendency to approach thoughtcrime proportio ns. (S-24t/MG)
N'APA #129 (Contact Tim Gatewood, PO Box 12921, Memphis,
TN 38182-0921): This is the Neffer Amateur Press Alliance, sponsored
by the National Federation of Fantasy Fans, a group that tries to
make new people at home in SF fandom. Loosely the discussions
revolve around SF, but in fact people bring in all sorts of things
from life and elsewhere. A relatively small but chatty bunch.
(S-95/MG)_
□NARC #1 ($1.50 from PO Box 1929, Stn. C^Kitchener, ONT,
N2G 4R4, CANADA): No, this isn't for drug cops; it's an acronym
for New Artist Review Co-Op, a litzine that intends to publish on
the basis of merit rather than name. They've got a good mix the
first issue; what stands out for me is Karl Czekus's short story "For
Janice", a lovely bit of modern terror and love. Kevin Cogliano also
writes a nice stick, and there is plenty of poetry, including strong
pieces from John Pastway and Bonnie Belanger. (Q -12t/MG)
□NATIONAL PUBLIC HUMOR NEWSLETTER Vol. IV #3 ($12/12
issues from PO Box 21, Cheshire, CT 06410): A zine of humor that
seems to go out of its way to offend. There are gay jokes and
religion jokes, but the preponderance of the material in here is
related to the war. Some of this stuff you'll laugh at (and wish you
hadn't); some will just offend you, unless your taste is seriously
deteriorated. (S-6/MG)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
39
NATURALLY #2 ($5.00 Sample issue from POBox 203, Pequann-
ock, NJ 07440): The quarterly naturist magazine from Events
Unlimited. They discuss various nudist and naturist camps around
the world, alternvative resorts and vacation plans, and the historical
bare-breastedness in India. The editorials speak of the paradox of
allowing children t o see other naked bodies. (S-37 t/CG)
NAUGHTY LINGERIE #3 ($2 & Age Statement from Andrew
Roller, PO Box 221295, Sacramento, CA 95822): Is it my imagination
or is Andrew Roller's fiction getting even kinkier? This one has
added defecation to the list of fascinating subjects, which of course
includes bondage, whippings, and couplings with anyone handy.
This issue also add s reviews of Playboy videos to th e mix. (S-18t/MG)
NAUGHTY NAKED DREAMGIRLS #8 ($2 & Age Statement
from Andrew Roller, PO Box 221295, Sacramento, CA 95822):
Andrew's tale of "A Mansion for Masochists" continues in this issue,
with new ideas for sexual acts and ludicrous high-class situations of
domination and b ondage. Furious one-handed read ing. (S-18t/MG)
□NCYCLOPEDIA MOPPA CHATKO Vol. Zero ($5 from Wayne
A. Lee, Box 34064, Scotia Square Postal Outlet, Halifax, NS B3J 3S1,
CANADA): This is...weird. The closest thing I've seen to hypertext
in a printed medium, it's a mix of prose and art section, chopped
up and sprinkled through the pages. They tell the story of the NMC,
a strange and dangerous SF book from the future, and what it does
to Thom and Jane t. A trippy work indeed. (D-56r /MG)
ND #14 ($3.00 from PO Box 4144, Austin, TX 78765): An arts
focus publication, featuring interviews with up-and-coming or
already-here-but-need-more-exposure artists from performance art to
mail art. Interviews include Carolee Schneemann, Scott MacLeod,
Lloyd Dunn, Ken Montgomery (plus others), plus a focus on the
International Mail Art Symposium in the USSR. They also include
their own brand of audio and zine reviews in a style that I found
particularly fresh. (D-42r/CG) _
NEOLOGY #72 ($2.50 from ESFACAS, Box 4071 PSSE, Edmonton,
Alberta, T6E 4S8, CANADA): A science fiction zine that actually
spends a good bit of ink reviewing books. Dale Speirs also discusses
the possibility of a distinctively Canadian SF. There's some ESFACAS
biz, convention reports, and a nice bunch of Iocs (including a
continued USSR c onnection) as well. (S-14t/MG)
THE NEON NEWS #7 ($4 from Ted Pirsig and Val Crawford,
PO Box 668, Volcano, HI 96785): Everything you always wanted to
know about the art and profession of making neon signs, and then
some. This issue has several articles about shop safety, notes on
neon jobs from hell, pointers to catalogs and sources, and more.
Nice interview with the last fraduate of a famous neon-benders'
school. (S-12t/MG)_
NETWORK Vol. 6 #1 ($10/yr from PO Box 687, Washington Sta.,
Buffalo, NY 14205): A New Age tabloid with a variety of features,
from a comparison chart of recycled (and other) toilet paper to some
incomprehensible fractal pseudoscience. Staying fit, helping the
environment, and developing links with the world seem to be the
main themes here. (T-20t/MG) _
NEW AGE PATRIOT Vol. 1 #4 ($1 from PO Box 419, Dearborn
Hts., MI 48127): This one follows on the popular book THE
EMPEROR WEARS NO CLOTHES in pressing for immediate
marijuana legalization to cure a host of our societal ills. This issue
looks at the energy possibilities of growing dope for fuel alcohol,
and also argues for ending the drug war on other gr ounds. (S-8t/MG)
□NEW BLOOD #7 ($4 from 540 W. Foothill Blvd. #3730, Glendora,
CA 91740): A zine of horror fiction and related topics. This issue
opens with a completely disposable Star Trek parody comic, but
improves rapidly from there. Highlights include Pat Jankiewicz's
interview with Linnea Quigley, a survey of other genre small press
zines, and a luscio us story by Joe R. Lansdale. (S -68t/MG)
□THE NEW CENSORSHIP Vol. 1 #10-11/12 ($2.50 from 2953
Wyandot St. #10, Denver, CO 80211): A literary zine which tends
towards experimental, on-the-edge work, as well as more photog¬
raphy than one usually finds in such forums. At times it feels a bit
workshoppy, but the best pieces—like Beth Borrus's "Grace Pays
Someone" or Anne Waldman's "Fait Accompli" manage to provoke
a lot with their sk illful weaving of images and wo rds. (S-20t/MG)
NEW FORCES Vol. 3 #2 ($5/12 issues from 6505 E. Central #176,
Wichita, KS 67206): The opening essay in this issue takes a position
unusual in the zine world: that we did the right thing in Iraq, and
that we should be proud of being victorious. Inside, there is more
on the career of Rev. Gerald Winrod and reviews of some right and
far-right books. (S -4/MG) _
□NEW GENERATION NEWS #4 (50* from 48 N. Third St.,
Emmaus, PA 18049): A newsletter which preaches the idea of
"regeneration", in several contexts. They seem to start from the
Christian theological position which is gaining in popularity, but tie
this in to both eco logical and economic regenerati on. (S-8t/MG)
NEW MOON RISING Vol. 3 #2 ($3 from Mystic Moon, 8818
Troy St., Spring Valley, CA 91977): A zine of practical magick that
ranges from Wiccan to Thelemic. This one includes an article
explaining some of the basic grades of Thelemic practice, more
rituals, love spells, Celtic magic, and some material channeled from
Lazaris. (S-36t/MG)_
NEW PLAYS & PLAYWRIGHTS Vol. 5 #1 ($1 (?) from PO Box
14524, Chicago, ILL 60614): A zine specifically for the theater
community of the Midwest, with an emphasis on smaller independent
companies and newer playwrights. It features interviews and reviews,
concentrating on the craft of writing and staging a new play.
(S-16t/MG) _
NEWS & LETTERS Vol. 36 #7 (25* from 59 E. Van Buren St.
#707, Chicago, IL 60605): Analysis of world affairs from a Marxist
splinter group point of view—in this case, Marxist-Humanism, as
championed by the late Raya Dunayevskaya. "Gulf war ends: battle
for mind of humanity intensifies" is their lead salvo here, as the
forces of history grind everything to fit their mindset and programme.
(T-12t/MG) _
NEW SETTLER INTERVIEW #56 ($12.50/12 issues from PO Box
730, Willits, CA 95490): A voice for the alternative community in
Northern California and thereabouts. This time around, Beth talks
with singer Cecelia Ostrow about healing the planet, and with healer
Mary Buckley abou t acupressure. Always thoughtful stuff. (S-56t/MG)
NEWS FROM APROVECHO Mar. 1991 ($15/yr from The
Aprovecho Institute, 80574 Hazelton Rd., Cottage Grove, OR 97424):
The Aprovecho Institute is a bunch of folks into work on
permaculture and other sustainable patterns of life. This issue has
pieces on community-supported agriculture, further notes on avoiding
toilet paper, and Heifer Project International's permaculture work,
to name a few. In novative and exciting. (S-12r/MG )
NEWSLETTER OF THE COALITION FOR JOBS AND THE
ENVIRONMENT Vol. 1 #5 ($6/yr from 114 Court St., PO Box 645,
Abingdon, VA 24210): These folks are interested in a whole heap
of social issues, ones united by the fact that economic clashes
between profit and people or land engender them. They network
together a lot of member groups, give hints on practical political
action, and try to see that people have decent liv es. (S-6t/MG)
NEWS OF THE WEIRD #6 ($8/7 issues from Chuck Shepherd,
PO Box 57141, Washington, DC 20037): A record of the bizarre side
of living in the modern world, courtesy of stories gleaned from
reputable news sources. Astronomical Tokyo real-estate prices, bits
of anonymous flesh in a meal, overblown violence, failed justice,
and the price of Czech beer all show up in this issue. Astounding
how strange people are. Chuck is also offering his previously Top
Secret personal compendium of weirdness, VIEW FROM THE
LEDGE, to NOTW subscribers; you can get a sample of both for
$1. (S-4t/MG) _
NEW UNIONIST #164-165 ($3/10 issues from 621 W. Lake St.
#210, Minneapolis, MN 55408): A revolutionary socialist syndicalist
paper. They are refreshing, however, in that their analyses (for all
that I often disagree with their point of view) are clear and direct,
and focused on real problems. The war as smokescreen is one the
main themes of # 164. (T-4t/MG) _
A NEW WORLD RISING #15-16 ($1.00 from Box 33, 77 Ives
St., Providence, RI 02906): Tabloid sized collection of peace, love,
the Grateful Dead, and related sentiment all tossed around on the
page. Kind of hippyish in tone, it's random lay-out gives it the feel
of a big bulletin board where everyone writes their name, address
and dogma. (T-8r/ CG) _
THE NEW XAYMACA Vol. 1 #3 (50* from JMU Box 5434,
Harrisonburg, VA 22807): A tabloid of opinion and opposition. They
decry the use of the war as a way to get rid of "The Vietnam
Syndrome", look at the problems faced by black feminists, and look
at America's place in the world. Intellectually stimulating essays.
40
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
(T-4t/MG)
□NEW YORK PUBLISHING EMPLOYMENT NEWS 3/25/91-
4/25/91 ($5 from NY Publishing, PO Box 5454, Long Island City, NY
11105): This one is a listing of jobs in the publishing industry in
New York. Each one is only a few lines, listing position, duties,
requirements and who to call. (S-3t/MG)
□NOBODY LIVES FOREVER #1 ($1 from PO Box 835723,
Richardson, TX 75083-5723): Another zine that plays off the modern
fascination for death. These people do it with a sense of humor and
of approaching apocalypse. They've got some film noir and detective
fiction, autopsy bit s, and assorted gruesomeness. (HL-20r/MG)
NO BS Oct. 1990 ($2 CASH/Stamps from 555 Buckingham Way,
San Francisco, CA 94132): A collection of clippings with wraparound
color covers. Mostly it's deranged and morbid stuff, likfe the guy
who rammed 18 cars because God told him he could drive through
them. There are beatings, drowned cows, pizza and marijuana
takeouts, and othe r foibles of human nature. (S-20 t/MG)
□NO DOGS OR PHILOSOPHERS ALLOWED Feb. 1991 (Dona¬
tion (?) from PO Box 10325, Arlington, VA 22210): Another new
idea under the sun here: a television program about philosophy. So
far carried only on a couple of Virginia cable stations, the show
looks like it takes a pretty wild approach, replete with strange props
and freewheeling discussions. (S-4t/MG)
NO NATION BULLETIN #7 ($5 [CASH OR IMO ONLY] from
Soren Groth, Industrigatan 9 str., 15300 Jarna, SWEDEN): A
syndicalist newsletters of international scope. There are contributions
from Nigeria, Mozambique, Sweden, USSR—all seeking freedom and
friendship through grassroots action. Some contents may be a bit
disturbing (such as the open letter to Khadafi), but they are sincere
in uniting the independent trade union movement. (D-16r/CG)
NON COMPOS MENTIS #4 (Donations of stamps ONLY from
Scott K. Smith #74481, ASP-Rincon, 10,000 S. Wilmot Rd., Tucson,'
AZ 85777): This is a literary mini produced from within the Arizona
State Prison system—which means that it is important that you do
not put the zine's name on the envelope. Scott publishes a mix of
work from the free world and inside, including fine prison art,
poetry by Claire, short fiction from Victoria Brossard, and more.
(M-40t/MG)
NORTH AMERICAN ANARCHIST REVIEW #4 (SASE from
CAL, PO Box 1446, Columbia, MO 65205-1446): A book review
tabloid with an emphasis on material of interest to anarchists.
Sometimes these are short notices; other pieces, such as Neal
Keating's review of Ernest Mann's book on the Priceless Economic
System, are ideological essays in themselves. Some good stuff lurking
here that you wo n't find in your local B. Dalton. (T-8t/MG)
NOTES FROM THE DUMP #88-91 ($20/yr from Terry Ward, PO
Box 39, Acworth, NH 03601): Terry's personalzine is still chugging
along, picking up frequent media mentions and entertaining those
of us who knew him before he was famous. Read about har<J-living
folks he has known, working at the dump, struggling with the
booze, or just enjoying the peace of the mountains. You never know
what will turn up next, from classical music to world affairs.
□NOTES FROM THE HANGAR Vol.l #1 (Contact National UFO
Here's What's in Obscure #11:
P0 Box 1334, Milwaukee, Wl 53201
Museum, POBox 20593, Sun Valley, NV 89433): The voice of the
National UFO Museum, this premiere issue explores many sides of
ufology, including disinformation, the Scientology/UFO relationship,
sightings, and Reich's CONTACT WITH SPACE. Most fascinating
were the further revelations regarding the Dulce Base, where many
believe alien/genetic experiments are performed and hidden. Fat and
filled with goodies for the UFO enthusiast. (D-60/C G)
NOTES FROM WINDWARD Year 3 #5 ($15/8 issues from The
Windward Foundation Press, 55 Windward Lane, Klickitat, WA
98628): A combination diary and newsletter from an intentional
community way up in the Pacific Northwest. More on goat-breeding,
installing septic tanks, life changing and the joys and sorrows of
living in a co-housing arrangement. It looks hard, but it also looks
mighty worth it. ( S-19t/CG) _
NOT YOUR BITCH #6 ($1 (?) from Gypsy X., 1072 Dayton Ave.,
St. Paul, MN 55104): Very strong writing from a variety of feminist,
punk, anarchist, lesbian and survivor points of view—or maybe it's
only one point of view, as everything seems to be anonymous.
There are bits here about being molested, about prostitution, about
eating meat, and about many other injustices in the world—blunt,
heartfelt, disturbing. (D-24r/MG)
NOVA EXPRESS Vol. 3 #3 ($10/4 issues from PO Box 27231,
Austin, TX 78755-2231): A SF fanzine that concentrates on writers
and books. The major chunk of this issue is an interview with
Pamela Sargent followed by an extensive bibliography of her work.
They also review THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE and publish a weird
story from G.L. Daum. (S-32t/MG)
NOVOID #8 ($2 from Colin Hinz, PO Box 161, Orillia, ONT,
L3V 6H9, CANADA): This is the "Art Strike" issue of Colin's zine,
in a suitably non-artistic pedestrian style. Besides discussing that
particular little debacle, he prints a great_article from Luke McGuff
about a SRL show, encourages Clif Bennett to regain us with the
contents of his file drawers, and confesses to taking L.S.D. in
University. Plenty of letters too. My copy came with a copy of a
weird little book by Serge Segay and Robin Crozier too. (S-34/MG)
NOW WHAT? #3 ($1 from Archie Washington, 545 O'Farrell St.
#506, San Francisco, CA 94102): A sort of personalzine, though it's
hard to know what Archie will publish next. This issue has the
lowdown on the Executive Orders that allow the President to take
over the country, true Navy porno, and excerpts from a lawsuit
involving the writ er's grandfather and incest charg es. (D-20/MG)
□NPA NEWS ($20/yr from 2460 Juniper, Boulder, CO 80304): This
is the newsletter of the National Poker Association, a group working
to make poker legalized—comparing its current status to that of
liquor during prohibition. Most of it is about legal maneuvering and
court decisions, but they are also active in setting up benefit
tournaments and s o on. (S-4t/MG) _
THE NUMBERS FACTSHEET Vol.l #3 (#16/yr from Moonbeam
Press, POBox 149, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510): Edited by a special
covert communications advisor, this is a newsletter of trackings of
"numbers stations" and other shortwave/radio related topics. This
issue talks about a spy museum in Havana (showing off the
unintentional foul-ups of the CIA), numbers tracking in Israel,
cryptography, and how CNN managed to hold its own in Baghdad
while the other major broadcasters lost it. Fascinating. (S-ll/CG)
□O-BLEK #8 ($5.50 from PO Box 1242, Stockbridge, MA 01262):
Fat, digest-sized literary journal with the kind of writing that will
someday be studied in literature classes (it was, in fact, partly funded
by the NEA). Most of the poetry and prose included are laudable
works and seem to be intensely selected, not just on a random
basis. Much of the writing is experimental but with traditional roots.
You should expect to see this on the shelves in literary bookstores.
(D-197t/CG)
OBSCURE PUBLICATIONS & VIDEO #11 ($5/5 issues from Jim
Romanesko, PO Box 1334, Milwaukee, WI 53201): Jim interviews the
people behind the small press, doing journalistic stories about a
couple of zines in each issue. This time he tracks down the faces
behind BRIMSTONE and PUNK PALS. He also does selective
reviews, spotlighti ng a few of zinedom's finest each issue. (S-lOt/MG)
THE OBSERVATION WARD #22 ($6/6 issues from Donald B.
Ward, Park Alhambra 56, 999 E. Valley Blvd., Alhambra, CA
91801-5205): A gentle and friendly personalzine. Don passes on some
messages of humor, notes on woodpeckers, and a plan for ending
the recession in this issue. I always get a few chuckles out of his
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
41
writing. (S-2t/MG)
□ODDO #1 (Trade only from Oddone Ricci, CP 1045, Bologna
Centro, ITALY): A distinctly offbeat zine, this one is a homage to
American weird culture. Chesty Morgan, underground comics, garage
rock and cartoons from vintage PLAYBOY are all part of the mix
here, together with Oddone's own handwritten in English commen¬
tary. Strange cultu re at its strangest. (A4-22/MG)
THE ODINIST #135 ($8/8 issues from PO Box 1647, Crystal River,
FL 32623): A zine for those who are trying to get back to some of
the older backbones of Anglo-Saxon culture, including the old Norse
religion. The newsletter is a mix of religion, history and cultural
commentary, with enough racial writing to be offputting to some.
This one reports on their status and plans for the neat future, and
continues the histo ry of the west to just past Charlem agne. (S-10/MG)
OFF HOLLYWOOD REPORT Vol. 5 #6 ($25/yr from The
Independent Feature Project, 132 W. 21st St., 6th FL, New York,
NY 10011): A magazine for the independent filmmaker. They cover
lots of ground: what foreign buyers are looking for (no surprise,
it's inexpensive films with good sales potential), how to do car shots,
a section on special effects, and so on. Includes news and gossip
from around the i ndustry. (S-34t/MG) _
OFFICE NUMBER ONE May 1991 ($8.84/8 issues from 1709 San
Antonio St., Austin, TX 78701): "A transformed version of Pure
Truth" which emanates from various alternate universes. This one
talks about the new costs of sin, the theory of limericks, and the
current state of th e Victim Index. (HL-12r/MG)
OFF THE WALL #24 (1 stamp from John & Kathe Burt, 960 SW
Jefferson Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333): A collection of clippings from
the walls of Blackberry house, where John and Kathe live. This issue
has plenty of fractured headlines and a whole page of sweat ad
deoderant material . (O-l/MG) _
ON OUR BACKS Mar./Apr. 1991 ($28/yr from Blush Entertain¬
ment Corp., 526 Castro, San Francisco, CA 94114): A sex/porno
magazine by and for lesbians. Besides stories and photos spreads,
they have advice columns (both on sex and on relationships) and
feature articles. This issue takes an in-depth look at female-to-male
transsexuals. (S-48t /MG) _
ON THE ISSUES Vol. 28 March 1991 ($9.50/4 issues from PO
Box 3000, Dept OT1, Denville, NJ 07834): A superior feminist
humanist quarterly that both culls related information from other
media and offers its own brand of exceptional reporting. Chief articles
include a discussion with Elie Weisel on love, abortion, Jewry, and
women; a look at the "new" Poland where old problems such as
rampant Anti-Semitism are erupting; a look at women in the media;
population control; and a lighthearted commentary on women and
dogs. It's really astonishing how much is packed into one issue.
(S-45t/CG) _
□ON TOUR #1 ($1 from Dan Romanchik, 2113 Arborview, Ann
Arbor, MI 48103): A new zine for bicycle tourists—not racers, not
those interested in the latest bike fashion, just folks who like to
ride around. It's anchored by Dan's own report of a ride through
the Appalachians, told well enough to interest even this non-rider.
Recipes, news of future tours, and short tips are also here. (S-6t/MG)
THE OPTIMISTIC PEZZIMIST #8 ($3 Sample copy from Mike
Robertson, PO Box 606, Dripping Springs, TX 78620): Pez freaks
abound and here they convene, swap information and buy more
stuff. Auction announcements, fun things to do with Pez dispensers
(such as illuminate it, literally), a collector's profile, and "Pez That
Never Were," showing dispenser hopefuls such as Pee Wee Herman
and Freddy Krueger. More fun than you ever thought a supermarket
item would be. (D -36t/CG) ______
□OPUNTIA #1 ($1 or The Usual from Dale Speirs, PO Box 6830,
Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2E7, CANADA): A zine of science fiction with
a specifically Canadian emphasis. In this introductory issue. Dale
discusses what makes Canadian SF, and invites stories about opuntiol
for a contest—get a copy if you want to know just what this chemical
is! (D-8r/MG) __
OREGON PAGAN COUNCIL NETWORK NEWSLETTER Vol. 2
#4 ($2 from PO Box 1012, Oregon City, OR 97045): This one exists
to help pagans in the Northwest develop a sense of community.
They try to keep track of events and who has what services to
offer. They also print short essays and advice from the pagan
community. (S-12t/ MG) _
□ORGASMIC SURRENDER ($5/yr from Queer Riot Press, 2336
Market St. #133, San Francisco, CA 94114): A zine with a single
essay, at least in this issue. It's a basic rundown on the ideas of
Wilhelm Reich, plugging the notion that they're being rehabilitated
these days after y ears of suppression. (L-2t/MG)
THE ORLANDO SPECTATOR #11 (59* postage from 2390 S.
Orange Blossom Trail, Apopka, FL 32703-1870): An alternative paper
with a good mix of features. This issue has a firsthand account of
being harassed at an anti-war demo, a spread on how to refuse
dissection in biology class, and notes on possible erosion of civil
rights under martial law here. Plus they review goodies like the
new ENCYCLOPE DIA OF BAD TASTE. (T-20t/MG )
□OTB MANIA Vol. II #IX-XII ($2 from Noble Publishers, 594
Broadway #1208, New York, NY 10012): That price is for a FAXed
copy; I don't see any mail-order info, but you could always write.
This is a zine for horseplayers (for those of you outside New York,
OTB is our legal chain of Off-Track Betting parlors). Scott Carson
picks one race per issue, and tells you how confident he is and
why. Witty writing, and not too far behind on money for the year
to date either. (S- 2t/MG) _
OTHER REALMS #29 ($2.85 from Chuq Von Rospach, 35111-F
Newark Blvd. #255, Newark, CA 94560): Except for particularly
dismal photocopying, this SF reviewzine seems to be bigger and
better than ever. Between Chuq and his staff and his readers there
are dozens of books reviewed in detail, from new releases to classic
reprints. Plus there are some interesting essays, the most amusing
of which is an iconoclastic one about paper cups being worse for
the environment t han foam ones. (5-52t/MG) _
OUT OF ORDER #10 ($1/4 issues from PO Box 5498, Atlanta,
GA 30307): With this issue, Kerry Thomley has consolidated all his
various wall posters under one title. You can still expect discordian-
ism, conspiracy theory, weird artwork, and other things designed
to wrench away y our conception of reality. (S-2/M G)
OUT WEST #14 ($2.50 from 10522 Brunswick Rd., Grass Valley,
CA 95945): The bombshell in this issue of this on-the-road newspaper
is in the editorial: Chuck Woodbury got married! It hasn't changed
the tone of this paper any, which visits campgrounds with oil wells,
the inside of Hoover Dam, the town of Baghdad, the Grand Canyon,
roadside cafes and all the wonderful character-loaded places that
make the West th e only place to travel. _
OVERSPACE #11 ($4 (?) from 25 Sheldon Rd., Chippenham,
Wiltshire, SN14 0BP, ENGLAND): A collection of short stories (plus
a few odds and ends) that are loosely int he fantastic arena, perhaps
fantastic realism. I am especially amused by the matched pair "The
Girl of His Dreams" by Stan Dambrook and "Fromt he Other Side"
by Zachary Kane. (A4-42/MG) _
□OVER THE EDGE #1 ($2 (?) from St. Elmo, PO Box 3082,
Portsmouth, NH 03801): A collection of rants and raves from the
mysterious St. Elmo. She writes of dysfunctional families, of the
idiocies of hippies and disco freaks, of the sense of being cremated
instead of buried. Loads of cynicism here and a generally depressed
view of the world. (S-30/MG) _
□THE OVOFILE Vol. 1 #1 ($2 from Trevor Blake, PO Box 23061,
Knoxville, TN 37933-1061): This is intended to be an interim zine
between issues of Trevor's OVO. This issue has a long review of
MY STRUGGLE WITH BOOJIE BOY, including quite a few excerpts.
There's also his current list of addresses and some thoughts on
OVO and other p rojects. (D-16/MG) _
THE OWL CREEK JOURNAL Vol. 2 #3 ($2 from Sacred Earth
Alliance, PO Box 1832, Gambier, OH 43022): A zine of self-expression
in many ways. This is the "Colliding Scopes" issue, with short
stories, poems, anger and exploration—a literary medley. Mark
Kinney proposes an economic strategy for peace, Paul Haaland
explores the poetic dimensions of normal life cracked by exterior
turmoil. (HL-30t/M G) _
OXALIS #14 ($10/2 issues from PO Box 3993, Kingston, NY
12401): This issue has the winners of this litmag's 8th annual poetry
and fiction contest. Notable pieces include the selection of poems
from Bill Shields and short stories by Lucy Honig and Linda M.
Owen. If I had to generalize, I would say sensitive, innovative work
is the rule here. ( S-44/MG) _
OZONE #14/15 (Contact E. Owen DuBose, 3534-11 Buford Hwy.,
Atlanta, GA 30329): This apa is fat, but still in need of a few new
42
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
members—the participation is a bit lopsided right now. The emphasis
in OZONE is on running fiction and poetry, and commenting on
the works of others; there is plenty to read and digest in this
traveling writers' workshop. Contact Owen if you're interested in
joining, or send a round $3 for a sample. (S-200/M G)
PACIFIC OCEAN ECOLOGIST Feb./Mar.-Apr./May 1991 ($2
from Bradley M. Gordon, PO Box 90775, San Diego, CA 92169): A
zine of muckraking and opposition to the destruction of the
environment. "The Car Explosion" headlines the first of these issues,
while the lasting effects of Chernobyl and the nasty policies of Coors
are in the second. (S-lOt/MG) _
PAGAN FREE PRESS #10 ($2 from Victor Brotte, PO Box 55223,
Tulsa, OK 74155): A neopagan journal that invites contributions from
all over. This time the issue is focused on rituals, with people
contributing both structured material for full covens and smaller,
personal rituals fo r self-development. (D-28r/MG)
PAH! #43-46 (1 stamp from Mark Morelli, 702 Mae St., Kent,
OH 44240): A zine of off-the-wall humor and occasional deep thought.
#43 looks at the yellow ribbon phenomenon with a jaundiced eye.
#44 and 45 are both composed of unpublished letters to the editor,
showing Mark as a bizarre person indeed. (S-lt/M G)
PALLAS SOCIETY NEWS Vol. 5 #4 ($9.50/4 issues from PO Box
18211, Encino, CA 91316): A pagan zine loosely focused in the
Southern California Craft community. There are lots of short bits in
each issue—rituals and circles, thoughts on teaching newcomers,
herbals, looks at various traditions. They also maintain a longish
list of exchanges. (HL-52t/MG) _
PALMETTO POST #4 ($0-20 (sliding scale)/4 issues from St.
Petersburg Religious Society of Friends do 130 19th Ave. SE, St.
Petersburg, FL 33705): A fat journal of thought and essays provoked
by the state of the Greens in Florida. They look at the corporate
connections of major environmental organization boards, recount a
Greenpeace action, and consider the movement vs. party dichotomy.
Plenty to choose from, much of it on the level of strategy. (S-60t/MG)
PAPERBACK PARADE #23 ($5 from PO Box 209, Brooklyn, NY
11228): A zine for those who are into the joys of collecting vintage
paperback books. The main feature in this issue is an article on the
amazing life of the man who was Max Brand (as well as sundry
other pseudonyms). There's also a report on recent trade shows, a
checklist of British Tarzan imitations, and lots mor e. (D-70r/MG)
PAPER RADIO #9 ($10/3 issues from PO Box 85302, Seattle, WA
98145-1302): A litmag which inclines towards the outre, the titillating,
and the convoluted. In particular they feature many short short
stories, with the best—such as James Livingston's "Lunch" having
a visceral imact. Arty nude photos, John Fain's tale of symphony
lover oneupmanship, poems of attack and disintegration, there's a
lot of work here that repays serious contemplation. (S-56t/MG)
□PAPER TRAINED Vol. 1 #1-2 ($1 (?) from 1826 N. Harvard
Blvd. #16, Hollywood, CA 90027): Satire from the highbrow to the
downright nasty. These people do not recognize the idea of sacred
cows. Gay mannerisms, the hell of work, Hollywood trendiness,
annoying behavior and stupid celebrities are just a few of their
targets. (HL-24r/MG)_
PARADISE 2000 Vol. 2 #1 (25* & SASE from Christopher B.
Martin, Route 1 Box 373, Charlottesville, VA 22901-9605): The
newsletter of the Paradise Project, Christopher's attempt to help us
get "the world we want" by the turn of the century. So far it is
mostly about the importance of being positive and creative rather
than negative and reactive. (S-4t/MG)
□THE PARTY'S OVER #3-4 (50* (?) from Autonome Forum, PO
Box 366, Williamstown, MA 01267): A new anarchist zine apparently
fixated on the romanticism of violent revolution. They report on
marches in D.C., IRA bombings in England, and an apparent attempt
to frame local campus activists right here at home. (D-4r/MG)
THE PATRIOT REVIEW Vol. V #7 ($20/yr from PO Box 905,
Sandy, OR 97055): A right-wing journal with the masthead slogan
"Unless the American Patriot is Christian Liberty cannot be restored."
Along with the usual stuff on evading the IRS, the bulk of this
issue is Nord Davis's article on "Desert Shield and the New World
Order", arguing that American is once again being manipulated by
the Zionists, just as happened in World Wars I and II. (T-16t/MG)
THE PATH REVIEW Vol. 4 #1 ($1 (?) from Shadow Network,
PO Box 311, New Hyde Park, NY 11040): A small zine of occult
connections. It reviews books and newsletters and reprints the
occasional bit of mainstream news coverage—here some modern
animism from Serbia. (S-4/MG)
PEACE & FREEDOM Vol. 7 #1 ($1 & IRC from Paul Ranee, 17
Farrow Road, Whaplode Drive, SpaldiTtg, S. Lincs.^ PE12 0TS,
ENGLAND): This one is somewhere between literary magazine and
political essay sheet. They review things which contribute to
community, invite commentary on social issues, and publish plenty
of sensitive materi al. (D-24r/MG) _
THE PEACEMAKER Vol.44 #1 ($1-/12 issues from Box 677,
Garberville, CA 95440): A newsletter from very active grassroots war
resisters. They are deeply committed to draft and war resistance,
as shown by news bites from across the country, including tales of
disarming a B-52 and a break-in and subsequent computer damage
to a company that helps design nuclear weapons. (T-8t/CG)
PEACE MEAL NOTES #6 (Donation from Steve Gulick, 2211
Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19146): Steve is into theater and
mime for social change, and presents some of his current ideas here
This issue suggests ways to work for peace and social justice through
making people thi nk via the arts. (S-2/MG) _
□PEACE NEWS Vol. 1 #2 ($1 from MacPublish, 24 Isla Vista,
San Rafael, CA 94901): An outspoken new zine of the peace
movement. One of the longest stories in this issue is "What Makes
Americans So Stupid?" (they blame meat-eating a chunk of the
blame). They also retell the story of St. George and the dragon in
updated form, and generally avoid the cliches. (S- 12t/MG)
□PEACE SCOPE Vol.l #1 ($1 (?) from Operation Safe Return,
PO Box 5855, Asheville, NC 28813): Another peace zine spawned
by the recent war. This one has notes on the racism at the front
line, domestic protests that didn't make the news, and a networking
section to help pu t together some of the new gro ups. (T-16/MG)
PEACEWORK #206-207 ($15/yr from American Friends Service
Committee, 2161 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140): A
grassroots peace journal which of late has had plenty to work on
and offered the question to its members: "What will it take to stop
the war in the Persian Gulf?" Well, even though it's pretty much
over, the answers are still edifying and shows a commitment to
peace in general. Also discussed are what's been happening to
military resisters and the subject of drafts. #207 discusses the lessons
of the Peace Movement in regards to the Gulf War, Bush's "Human
Rights Hypocrisy," and the nearness of spirituality in acts of civil
disobedience. There's a resource, job, and network listing as well.
(S-16t/CG) _
□PEERS OF THE REALM #1 ($6 from Ruth Dempsey, 357 W.
Squire Dr. #1, Rochester, NY 14623-1770): "An all-British media
fanzine"—that is, a collection of short stories written by fans of
various British movies and series, set in those universes. There are
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
43
Robin of Sherwood pieces, Blake's 77, Dr. Who, the Avengers and
lots more, plus art , poetry and songs. (S-56/MG)
PENGUIN DIP #43 ($15/10 issues from Stephen H. Dorneman,
94 Eastern Ave. #1, Malden, MA 02148): A combined Diplomacy
and science fiction zine. Actually, though the SF is pretty well
pushed out of #43, thanks to tons of letters, many focused on the
recent war. There is also a delightful list by Harry Andruschak of
ways to afford ov erseas vacations. (S__16t/MG)
□PENPAL LIST #10 (2 stamps from Chris Detraz, MCC #174474,
PO Box 7, Moberly, MO 65270): This is a list where the listings are
feee and the presentation is without frills. Like Chris, most of the
men listed are on the inside, and there is a singles orientation to
the ads. (S-2/MG) _
PERELANDRA #85 ($1.50 from Pete Gaughan, 1521 S. Novato
Blvd. #46, Novato, CA 94947-4147): A zine of mainly postal
game-playing, with some short fiction thrown in for good measure.
Pete is moderating everything from British Rail to Diplomacy to
Monopoly to some sort of LORD OF THE RINGS game, and keeping
plenty of people involved. There are also openings in various other
games to come. (S -20t/MG) _
PERKINS PRESS Vol. 2 #1 d(9x12 52* SASE from 13 Perkins
Ave., Northampton, MA 01060): A hodge-podge of writing, opinion,
and art. There is a short story that confounds posing for a skin
mag with growing up semi-abused and getting married; opinions
pro and con on the Gulf War, and Some short poetry. Drawings
and comics also wander in and out. Quite free-form, and looking
for submissions. (T-16t/MG)
PERSONAL ANARCHY Vol. 2 #6-7 (SASE for sample from
Michael Ziesing, 44 Gifford Ave., Willimantic, CT 06226): A no-frills
anarchist newsletter put out by a close friend of mine. Mike's anarchy
is rooted in the here and now, trying to do the right thing in a
complex world. But he doesn't monopolize the space here, instead
excerpting from letters from his readers to make a thoughtful (and
mostly anonymous) forum for discussion. (S-6/MG)
□PERSPECTIVE #2 (Embossed SASE from Richard Miller, Box
740 - 186789-JD, London, OH 43140): A small newsletter produced
from within the Ohio state prison system. It includes some notes
on institutional rules, an anti-war editorial, and a story about growing
up with some guys who later made it as basketball pros. Poetry,
cartoons, and chess also make these pages. Looking for contact with
other prison publications. (HL-20/MG)
P-FORM #20 ($2 from Randolph St. Gallery, 756 N. Milwaukee,
Chicago, IL 60622): The only zine we get that concentrates explicitly
and directly on performance art. They review some performances
and present transcripts of some others, and are well on their way
to developing a critical perspective that actually makes sense to
outsiders. The zine itself is well done, with innovative layout and
good use of photo s. (S-32t/MG) _
PING THRONG #5 ($1 & a stamp from Lana Rebel, PO Box
3689, Tucson, AZ 85722): A zine of miscellaneous creativity. There
are short comics, a page of bicycles, a non-cashable check of love,
epic poetry, the easiest crossword I've seen in a while,and more.
Light-hearted and fun. (D-45/MG)
PITTSBURGH HISTORY Spring 1991 ($30/membership from 4338
Bigelow Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15213): A glossy historical magazine
published by the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. They
cover in detail some of the more lively and colorful parts of
Pittsburgh's past and also recapture some of the same spirit of
purpose in doing so as the people who lived in those times. This
issue features articles on the community of Jews who lived on "the
Hill" prior to WWII and their lifestyle, and a look at an unusual
pioneer of medical research who helped the development of treatment
for throat disorders (and who also fought on both sides of the Civil
War), to name tw o. Rich in history and respect fo r it. (S-47t/CG)
PITTSBURGH'S C.A.R. #4 (30# from PO Box 7157, Pittsburgh,
PA 15213): That stands for Campaign Against Racism, and this is
their brief newsletter. This one looks at the racist makeup of the
US military and reprints some correspondence they received from
the Aryan Women's League. (S-2t/MG)
□PLANET ROC Vol. 3 #2 ($5/yr from Simone Bouyer, PO Box
476996, Chicago, IL 60647-6996): This one started out associated with
an art gallery, but now there's no more gallery, leaving a nice litmag
behind. Learn the teachings of the path of coffee consciousness.
inspect some nice art, short fiction, poetry, whatever. Hip without
being trendy. (HL- 16t/MG) _
PLAYER'S FORUM Vol. II ($1 from Terrence Miller, PO Box 28,
Lynwood, WA 98046-0028): A zine for Play By Mail gamers. There
are a bunch of multi-player games out there, moderated by computer,
covering the ground from fantasy to modern war to galactic battles
and beyond. This one is for the people to play them, and is concerned
with the shape of the industry and what can be done to improve
it. (D-20r/MG) _
PODIUM Feb.-Mar.-Apr. 1991 (Contact Podium Editor, ADTC,
PO Box 190, Avenel, NJ 07001): A combined literary and news zine
put out by the residents of the Adult Diagnostic & Treatment Center,
a special prison facility. There are a lot of things here: legal news,
several different religious columns, sports inside and outside the
prison, poetry, co mputers and plenty more. (S-64/ MG)
THE POETIC EXPRESS Vol. 6 #2 (50# (?) from Maurice Greenia,
Jr., PO Box 11381, Detroit, MI 48211): A single-sheet of literary
experimentation. There are some poems here, some comics, but
mostly flowing dreamy essays. Maurice has been at this for years,
but its not made him much less opaque. (S-l/MG )
POINTS OF LIGHT Vol. IV #3-4 (SASE from 928 E. Fifth St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11230-2104): A pagan zine with an "omni-denomenatio-
y nal viewpoint. #3 has a look at Easter/Eostre/Ostara, and an article
on the difference between seekers and finders. (L-2/MG)
POLITICAL CORRECTION #1-2 (No subs; exchanges welcome,
free to libraries with letterhead request from TRA Dept. PC, PO Box
8714, La Jolla, CA 92038): A wall poster intended to satirize the
politically correct thinking that prevails on campus at UC San Diego.
The first one has the delightful riddle "What's the difference between
Los Angeles and San Diego? Videotape". #2 has a rooting song for.
those who want to stomp the homeless, and an anthem for the
new world order. (S-lt/MG) _
POLITICALLY INCORRECT Vol. 1 #4 ($1 CASH from PO Box
170, 400 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215): A zine of opinion and
strangeness. The editor will tell you where to invest your money,
give you the current Drug Price Index, and tell you all about why
the government is such a ripoff. Life extension and guerrilla
capitalism are underlying concerns. Fun and sometimes outrageous.
(S-8/MG)
POPPIN' ZITS #8 lite (2 ounce SASE and "worthy trade" from
Jerod Pore, 1800 Market St. #141, San Francisco, CA 94102): This
is the artwork of an issue of PZ, without the words over the top.
It's a collage of light porno, meat packing plants, robotics, people
in peril, and technical text, titled ""Food From Chaos". (S-12/MG)
POPULAR LIFE #5 ($2.00 single issue from [make check payable
to Mary Arp] LAMAR, 105 Belmont St., Rochester, NY 14620): The
humor zine that picks up speed with every issue. Much of it is
made up of old advertisements (you know, the kind you find in
"women's" magazines of old), but they've started to add new
features, one of them being a New York City report, and some
recent fashion articles out of L.A. (D-16/CG)
□PORK 'N' DART Mar. 1991 ($2 from Artworks, 3039 Q. St.
NW #20, Washington, DC 20007): Arty, slick paper zine of art and
writing and fashion that seems a bit shallow—or perhaps the writers
are just swimming in different currents than I am. There's a stream
s' ~ —— v.
PLAYER’S FORUM
The new, player oriented zine
for play-by-mail gamers!!!
$1 sample issue, or subscribe
for $5 and get 6 issues.
Published bi-monthly
Money back guarantee ! ! !
A
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1 I c/0 TERREWtf. HIUtR
• \ P 0 * BOH 26
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44
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
of consciousness funding rumination, a memory of scissors,
wondering about f ashion, and ultra-desktop layout s. (S-4t/MG)
PORTA-PLAY #2 ($1.00 from Scott Boehmer, 118 Surrey Lane,
Lake Forest, IL 60045): A fanzine for the portable gaming
society—that is, like Game Boy and other take-along video games.
Here many games are reviewed (Rygar, NFL Football, Klax) with
comment and input from a galley of users who obviously love and
know the games. One of the features offers news and advice on
accessories for lea ding games. (S-lOr/CG) _
THE POSITIVE TIMES Vol. 191 ($3 PO Box 244, West
Stockbridge, MA 01266-0244): Ever want to create your own reality,
preferably a happier, healthier one? Well, you;re not alone, and the
folks here will help you metaprogram yourself towards that goal.
With serious essays, cosmic billboards and short blips, they induce
a feeling of happiness and fun for the future. Layout tends to be
on the slapdash confusing side, but then clowns have always been
a bit that way. (S- 20t/MG) _
THE POTASSIUM REVUE #3 ($1.50 from Mark S. Ivanhoe, 6923
South Dr., Richmond, VA 23225-1303): This issue of Mark's
personalzine leads off with a discussion of the previous issue's review
in FF—and that's enough self-reference, thank you. (Don't worry,
Mark, around here familiarity breeds better reviews). The best part
is where he talks about his forthcoming novel VIRGINTOOTH,
which sounds like it should be a good read. (S-12 /MG)
POWEREDGE #34 ($17.70/yr from CFW Enterprises, PO Box 404,
Mt. Morris, IL 61054): A great skateboarding magazine with a very
distinctive visual style—clean, crisp, but not at all dry. They have
lots of photos, interviews with the well-known skaters, new products,
and a bit of skate- related music. (S-80t/MG) _
THE PRAGMATIST Vol. 8 #5 ($10/yr from PO Box 392, Forest
Grove, PA 18922): A serious journal of libertarian political thought,
concentrating on showing the utilitarian reasons for less government.
This issue has some basic arguments for tax abolition, thoughts on
innovative messages to get the libertarian word out, and an amusing
piece about the problems of the Academically Unemployed Sociol¬
ogist. (S-16t/MG) __
THE PRAIRIE RAMBLER #163 ($1.23 from PO Box 505,
Claremont, CA 91711-0505): A collection of interesting quips and
quotes, apparently pruned from long hours at the library. This one
has the classic management study of a symphony, Mike Royko
smarting off, Kahlil Gibran not smarting off, Bennett Cerf, Gideon
Tucker, and many more. Great browsing. (S-8t/MG )
THE PRINTER Vol.5 #59 ($20/yr membership from Box 1402,
Findlay, OH 45840): Newsletter for that small but fiercely loyal group
of letterpress printers out there. They talk about new advancements
and how sometimes they may not be so advancing (such as the
loss of the ligature in typesetting—those funny combined letters like
"ff" and "fl"). They also discover new and old printing treasures,
techniques and ha ve a collector's corner. (T-12t/CG )
THE PRINTER'S DEVIL #10 ($2.10 from Joe Singer, Mother of
Ashes Press, PO Box 66, Harrison, ID 83833-0066): Tidbits about
printing for the small publisher who wants to get into the hands-dirty
side of things. In this issue, Fred Woodworth writes of moving
small presses, Joe reproduces a section on plate photography from
a vintage book, and as always there are plenty of opinionated
reviews. (S-24t/MG)_
PRINTER'S INK Vol. 6 #4 (On request from Thomson-Shore,
7300 W. Joy Rd., Dexter, MI 48130-0305): A newsletter from one of
the best of the short-run book printing companies. If things like
4-color separations, color trapping and recycled paper interest you,
this is definitely worth getting. And if you have a book project
coming up, every issue has a quote form in it. (S -4t/MG)
PRISONER'S LEGAL NEWS Vol.2 #3-4 (Donation from POBox
1684, Lake Worth, FL 33460): News gathered from behind the walls,
this newsletter is intended to educate readers about many of the
legal and ethical issues of prison life. They discuss prison discipline,
sex offender treatment in Washington state in relation to the Civil
Commitment law, equal sentencing systems, and many other current
issues. Reader res ponse seems to be picking up, t oo. (S-lOt/CG)
PRISON NEWS SERVICE Mar./Apr. 1991 ($10/yr suggested
donation from PSC Publishers, PO Box 5052, Stn. A, Toronto, ONT,
M5W 1W4, CANADA): A tabloid of support for prisoners all over
North America, with an emphasis on class war and political prisoners.
They feature articles about the system and conditions as well as a
lot of letters from the prisoners themselves. (T-20t /MG)
PROGRESSIVE PRAGMATIST Vol. V #5 ($12/6 issues from
Nicholas J. Nigro, Jr., 3214 Tibbett Ave., Bronx, NY 10463): An
aggressively reasonable publication of politics and other opinions.
This issue reviews the great tyrants of the 20th century (Hussein
makes the list but doesn't top it) as well as a book of Ally Sheedy's
poetry. There are also strong words on war and a short bit urging
McGovern not to run for President again. (S-12/M G)
□PROPAGANDA REVIEW #7 ($2/4 issues from Media Alliance,
Bldg. D, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA 94123): A look at
the way the media and government distort the truth, from a
left-leaning viewpoint. This issue is devoted to the "New Weird
Order", built around a series of interviews with people including
Noam Chomsky, Paul Krassner and Holly Sklar. ( S-54t/MG)
PROPER BOSKONIAN #28 ($22 from NESFA, PO Box G, MIT
Branch, Cambridge, MA 02139-0910): The semi-annual SF fanzine of
the New England Science Fiction Association. This issue has editor
Laurie Mann's summer convention travelogue, book reviews from
Mark Nelson, a history of the zine and a reasonably active letter
column. (S-32t/MG)_
THE PROTESTANT Feb.-Mar. 1991 ($12/yr from Concerned
Citizens for South Lake, PO Box 120202, Clermont, FL 34712):
Continued news and activism from an area where the government
appears to want unlimited growth and the citizens are getting fed
up. Trash tipping, water pipe replacement, residential density are
among the topics in this issue. (L-4/MG) _
PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS #11 ($3 from Ianvs Publications, 33
Prince St. #243, Montreal, Qc., H3C 2M7, CANADA): With this
issue PA broadens its field from the Robotech series to all of Anime
(Japanese animated features). Letters^ drawings, reviews, lost
episodes, game news and more are here, along Vfith a definite
respect for their readers. #11 also has a list of close to 100 active
Anime clubs. (S-34 t/MG) __
PRO WRESTLING SUSHI #32 ($1.50 sample copy from Jeff
Mullins, POBox 36189, San Jose, CA 95158): Entertaining pro
wrestling humor and news for those in the know. Always more
than a few laughs inside poking fun at everything from the sport
to fellow editors and politicians. This issue decides that the four
infamous policemen in Los Angeles will appear in a guest shot in
the next Wrestlemania, writes a letter to Vince McMahon, and
somberly lists the victims of the Gulf war by stat e. (S-lOr/CG)
PRO WRESTLING TORCH WEEKLY #111-118 ($5/4 issues from
Wade Keller, PO Box 201844, Minneapolis, MN 55420): An attractive
weekly from the wrestling circuit, featuring cover photos of the folks
in the business. They report match by match on major events and
include plenty of commentary and letters. (S-6r/MG )
□PSYCHOPATH Vol. 1 #9 ($3/6 issues from Nate Archer, 416
Center Ave., Adell, WI 53001): A humorous zine of insanity and
related topics. This issue has the ten worst toys of all times (including
the Hypodermic Fun Injection Playset), comics, a bizarre reader
survey, an ode to pyromania and the "Psychotic of the Month".
Funny stuff. (HL-1 2t/MG) _
PSYCHOTIC PROPHETS #4 ($1.00 or 50[cents] and 2 stamps
from Daniel Schmidt, 1622 Humboldt, Manhattan, KS 66502): Notes
from the Christian underground. Daniel reviews music, prints quotes
he finds enlightening or salient, talks about war and the words of
Martin Luther Kin g, Jr., and reviews other Christi an zines.
PSYCHOTRONIC #9 ($3 from Michael J. Weldon, 151 First Ave.
Dept PV, New York, NY 10003): A zine of screwy movies and the
people in them. Besides a batch of reviews, this one features
interviews with James Coburn and John Agar. There are also movies,
obits, and a letter from Nick Niciphor giving his side of an old
dispute with Davi d Carradine. (S-64t/MG) _
PURPLE RAIN, YELLOW SNOW #2 ($1 from James Cook, 603
W. Keller St., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055): A zine of sometimes
confusing humor. There is a teacher who turns out to be Adolf
Hitler in disguise, some fractured movies, and a quiz to match
famous bad guys with their descriptions. Speaking of which, they
also print a conversation between Noriega and Hussein. Odd.
(S-12/MG) _'
PWAlive Vol. 3 #5 ($5 or more/yr from Sabathini Community
Center #303, 310 E. 38th St., Minneapolis, MN 55409): A link for
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
45
people in the Minneapolis area coping with AIDS. This issue starts
off with notes on how to deal with medical bill collectors when
under stress. Later on there is some soul-searching and frank
discussion of the politics of the AIDS community, and a strong list
of resources. (S-24 t/MG) _
□QT #1 ($2 (?) from CP 423 Succ. C, Montreal, Quebec, H2L
4K3, CANADA): Why do all the good homocore zines come from
Canada? Here's another addition to the list, with clippings, hot punk
porno, lots of lesbian pages, chopped up psychological analyses and
plenty more. They even reprint a letter purporting to be from the
government agency trying to track them down and bust them.
(HL-48r/MG)
QUEER MAGNOLIA #39 (Free from C. Nash, 619 N. Magnolia,
Lansing, MI 48912): A zine of collage, artwork, and the occasional
word—though more words are crossed out than visible in this edition.
There are some brief epiphanies here, coupled with unlikely
juxtaposed images. (D-8/MG) _
RABBITEARS #2 (On Request from Mog Decarnin, 2020 Portland
Ave.S. #3, Minneapolis, MN 55404): I spent
entirely too long reading this fanzine of
television commentary. It was tremendously
fun. Much of the content has to do with
sf-related items (especially on the tube) with
critiques and analysis done by some pretty
knowledgeable sources. Pop culturalist Candi
Strecker joins the fun in her article on Monsters
and Messages on tv, everyone seems to love
21 Jump Street and Charles in Charge, and
there's even a bit of Sesame Street thrown in
as cultural icons go. And they call this the
"Special Self-Indulgence Issue." (S-58/CG)
RADICAL DEPARTURE Vol. 1 #3 (25* & a
stamp from 2508 Milton Ave., New Smyrna
Beach, FL 32168): A small zine of darkness and
confusion, with a few bits of hope tucked in.
'Wanna seems to be boiling with strong
emotions, and it's hard to sort out any actual
message here since the work is itself heavily
metaphorical and poetic. An intriguing read,
but one that left more questions than answers.
(S-4/MG)
RADIO FREE THULCANDRA #24 (The
Usual from Marty Helgesen, 11 Lawrence
Avenue, Malverne, NY 11565-1406): A zine of
Christian fandom which appears almost apa-like
due to its wide contributorship. The elements
of Christianity and sf combine in lively discus¬
sions of recent works, responses to past
commentary, and speculation the genre. (S-
72/CG)
RAG #3 ($1 from Michael Puttonen, PO Box
850018, Mesquite, TX 75185-0018): "New fiction
from Texas" (together with some art and
poetry). A lot of this stuff is right on the edge, weird sex, weird
lives. Dylan presents a junky diary. Michael Puttonen has several
fine stories, including one of an older woman seeking and finding
companionship in an unusual way. Interesting writing prevails.
(D-40t/MG)_
RALE #7 (2 stamps & Age Statement from Kevin J. Lintner, 827
N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA 17603-2739): A zine that wanders around
to various corners of the underground, having plenty of fun.
Highlights of this issue include the essay on how to cause trouble
at McDonalds, the gruesome Mike Diana artwork, and the reviews.
There's also poetry and art and rants and who knows what else in
this bargain package. (D-82/MG)
RAMBLIN' WILLIE'S BROADSIDE Vol.2 #4 ($2/yr from POBox
642, Winterville, GA 30683): Though no longer a broadside, these
folks continue amuse with short, succinct pieces on "Beer. Reviews.
Fiction." The article on beer is actually about collecting cans as a
hobby, the reviews touch on indy music (Beatniks from Mars, Those
Melvins, etc.) and the fiction is an unusual story about meeting
Elvis in Georgia. (D-6r/CG)
□RANSOM STREET Vol.3 #2-5 ($1 (?) from 323 McMasters St.,
Chapel Hill, NC 27514): Counterculture that is creeping its way into
a new consciousness. While no radical theories are offered, the
contents range from unusual poetry to political and economic
commentary; dissecting information from knowledge, exploring the
meaning of the 4th of July. Although some parts tend to lean towards
the metaphysical and philosophical stratas, stick with it for some
healthy outlook ex ercise. (HL-32r/CG) _
READING FOR PLEASURE #16 ($2 from 103 Baughman's Ln.
#303, Frederick, MD 21202): The title says it all—this is a zine for
people who like reading. It's mainly book reviews, together with
some book news—like the fact that Stephen King and Danielle Steele
are the most popular authors around, according to a Gallup Poll.
The reviews are well-written, and cover fiction and non-fiction both.
The zine is also available on a batch of BBS systems, including the
FF BBS. (S-64t/MG)__
THE REALIST #116 ($2 from PO Box 1230, Venice, CA 90294):
Humor with a decidedly nasty political edge to it. The front page
of this issue is a letter from George Bush to Saddam Hussein,
complete with obscene pictures, explaining what's really behind the
war. Inside are other war bits, a ride on the
Merry Pranksters' bus, Bakker and LaRouche,
and other goodies. (S-8t/MG)
REALITY SANDWICH #14 (75[cents] sam¬
ple copy from POBox 2092, Bal Tim Ore, MD
21203-2092): Extremely witty and sagacious
satire aimed at the politicos of our country.
Biting humor lending itself in the forms of
U.S. golfing pros being sent to clear the
landmines of Iraq, Hanes literally supporting
the troops (athletically speaking), the an¬
nouncement of S.C.U.D. AID ("Thousands
Dead—Let's Rock and Roll!")—it's only a
shame that it's so thin. There should be more
and more of this. (S-7/CG)
RECOVERY TODAY Vol. 1 #12 ($15/yr
from PO Box 754, Goldenrod, FL 32733): A
newsletter for folks involved in various 12-step
recovery programs, from alcoholics to rage-a-
holics to victims of panic attacks. They discuss
current medical advice, offer ideas on coping,
and deal with such everyday matters as
recovering your credit history. (T-24t/MG)
RED #2 (SASE from 13510a Aurora Ave.
N. #156, Seattle, WA 98133): A newsletter for
softball leagues from USSSA and WSSUA (a
local league). This issue has umpire's peril
rules, rules of conduct (such as not drinking
beer during a game), and the general violence
in softball that these folks don't want to
tolerate anymore. (S-l/CG)
RELIGION WATCH Vol. 6 #5-6 ($17.50/11
issues from PO Box 652, North Bellmore, NY
11710): A digest of news from dozens of
religious magazines and papers. Editor Rich
Cimino sorts things into trends; #5 covers the growth of Opus Dei
in eastern Europe, the alliance between neopagans and Hindus, the
increasing influence of Islam in the Intifada, and many more stories.
Always interesting. #6 includes a resurgence of hell and the state
of the Rajneesh m ovement. (S-10/MG) _
THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ALERT Vol. VII #2 ($15/8 issues
from Coalition for Religious Freedom, 5400 Eisenhower Ave.,
Alexandria, VA 22304): Though sponsored by the Unification Church,
the CRF takes an interest in all manner of conflicts between church
and state in this country, from the continuing problems of the
Scientologists with the IRS to deprogramming to the plight of
Christian Science parents. Generally, they want the state to stay the
heck out of church affairs, and rally round any case where it appears
that religious liberty is being stifled. (S-16t/MG)
THE RELUCTANT FAMULUS #15 ($1.50 or The Usual from
Thomas D. Sadler, 422 W. Maple Ave., Adrian, MI 49221): A science
fiction zine that seems to have hit its stride but is still improving.
This issue has several short pieces of fiction, Tom's own thoughtts
on sensawonda, and a fat zine review section (without much overlap
with the FF zine world). There's also a fine and growing lettercol.
(S-30t/MG) _
46
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
REMARK #2 ($2.50 from Again & Again Press, PO Box 20041,
Cherokee Sta., New York, NY 10028): A litmag that consists mainly
of reviews, with the bulk of those written by the always careful
and elegant Laurel Speer. There are also essays on things like
reviewing books, starting writers' groups, and entering contests, plus
some short prose bits not about writing. (S-42t/MG )
REPUBLICAN LIBERTY Vol.2 #1 ($10/yr from 1717 Apalachee
Parkway, Suite 434, Tallahassee, FL 32301): A caucus newsletter from
a sect of libertarians who see progress through combining republican
values with libertarian ones. They continue to gather reports on the
progress being made in congress and through state chapter news.
This issue also ha s the results of the 1990 election s. (S-8t/CG)
RESISTANCE #14 ($3.50 from Friends of Durruti, PO Box 790,
Station A, Vancouver, BC V6C 2N6, CANADA): Translations of
things like Red Army Front communiques and GRAPO hunger striker
demands. They're widening their focus now, though, to include the
beginning of an analysis leading to direct action in Canada. This
issue also has an interview with the Resistance Conspiracy folks.
(T-16t/MG) _
□REVOLT #1 ($2 (?) & Age Statement from James Butters, 3-379
Hargrave St., Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2K4, CANADA): A new zine of
"violent art". It includes an anti-censorship article, a feature section
on Argento and Fulci's gore movies, and a comic inspired by
Hellraiser. Plenty of black here, and a fascination with all the nasty
sides of life. (HL-3 2/MG) _
REVUE Vol. 1 #3 ($6/4 issues from 302 W. Thirteenth St.,
Loveland, CO 80537): "A magazine for the visual arts", with much
commentary on sculpture—there seem to be a lot of sculptors
working out in Colorado these days. They talk to the artists, keep
readers up to date on gallery showings, pass on tips as to where
to go and what to see. A polished looking startup . (HL-40t/MG)
□REWOLTA #3-5 (Contact Piotr Salwowski, ul. Mieszka I 48,
05-090 Raszyn, POLAND): A Polish-language anarchist periodical.
From what I could dope out, they're on the anarcho-syndicalist side
of things, and print a good deal of history and theory. No doubt
a couple dollars in cash would go a long way for these people.
(D-20r/MG) _
RFD #65 ($5.00 from Short Mt. Collective, Rt. 1 Box 84A, Liberty,
TN 37095): A reader-written country journal for gay men. They
explore all aspects of the gay life with special attention paid to
spirituality and "radical faerie consciousness." Articles and essays
deal with subjects as diverse as AIDS, the Civil War, Gardening,
and literature. There are also arts and entertainment features, as
well as a listing of events and reviews of past gathe rings. (S-64t/CG)
ROB'S ROUNDBALL REVIEW 1990-91 #30-35 ($1 (?) from PO
Box 599, Waynetown, IN 47990): A continuing blow-by-blow report
on the Indiana University basketball season. Actually, by the time
you read this the season will probably be over, but no doubt Rob
will be back next y ear with another set of reports an d stats. (S-3/MG)
ROGER TORY POOFTER'S FIELD GUIDE TO THE BLUDGEON
#1-2 ($1 from Pagan Angel Press, 1205 Co. Rte. 60, Rexville, NY
14877): This one makes somewhere right around no sense at all.
The bludgeon appears to be a sort of hiking trek, and the Poofter
a modern pagan deity; or perhaps not. In any case this is a collection
of essays honoring him or them, or arguing, or something.
Inscrutable. (S-10/MG)_
ROLLER SPORTS REPORT #15-16 ($12/6 issues from Fred Argoff,
1800 Ocean Pkwy #B-12, Brooklyn, NY 11223-3037): News of all the
various attempts to form a working Roller Derby like sports league
in this country. While things are dormant right now, there are
several leagues being organized, so who knows? Meanwhile Fred
prints lots of stuff from the past 40 years or so of the sport. #16
has an interview with the person trying to put together another
league, maybe so me time this year. (D-12/MG)
ROUGH DRAFT #54-55 ($10/yr from PO Box 6392, San Francisco,
CA 94101): The calendar of the Cacophony Society, a group that
gets together for strange events. Various of these include Proust
readings, formal attire bowling, the Saint Stupid's Day Parade, and
so on. (L-2t/MG) __
□RUCKSACK #1 (2 stamps from Ed Johnson, 9667 Lehigh Ave.,
Savannah, GA 31406): A zine of mail art and other topics—including
tropical fish. Ed is also into junk trading, and the envelope this
arrived in was stuffed with trading cars, a rubber dinosaur, and
other goodies. (D- 12/MG) _
RUDERAL #3 (2 stamps from 2015 Lakeland Ave. #3, Lakewood,
OH 44107): A confusing mishmash of rants, reviews that wander
RIVERSIDE QUARTERLY
The critical magazine of science-fiction and fantasy
IN RECENT AND FUTURE ISSUES:
Frank Bertrand, "Stanislaw Lem, Science-Fiction, and Kitsch,"
Marilyn House, "Miller's Anti-Utopian Vision: A Cantide for Leibowitz,"
Earl Ingersol! and Nancy Kress, "A Conversation with Connie Willis,"
Dennis Kratz, "Heroism in Sdence-Fiction: Two Opposing Views,"
R. A. Lafferty, "No Stone Unthrown,"
Brad Linaweaver, "an Interview with William Tenn,"
Justin Leiber, "Fritz Leiber: Swordsman and Philosopher,"
Joe Milicia, "Dry Thoughts in a Dry Season: J.G. Ballard's The Drought ,"
Rob Hillis Miller, "On Humour in Lovecraft,"
Karen Schuldner, "Notes on Dhalgren and Triton ,"
Sheryl Smith, "Lafferty's Short Stories: some Mystagogic Goshwow,"
Bob Tucker, Blurb Happy,"
Mary Weinkauf, "Future Talk, or What Do You Say When You Get off the Time Machine?,"
Gary Willis, "Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness: The Weaving Together of Dualities."
"... lots of intelligent life here"
Kathleen Neuer, Literary Magazine Review
"... jam packed with great scholarly critiasm"
Denise Dumars, Scavenger
"...recommended for anybody who wants to think about s-r
Mike Gunderloy, Factsheet Five
Subscriptions $6 (four issues) from:
Riverside Quarterly, 807 Walters #107, Lake Charles, LA 70605
Four of the 30 back issues are now available--27 through 30. Each sells for $2.
Note: A $12 order entitles you to a free copy of H.P. Lovecraft: A Symposium , with Robert Bloch, Arthur Cox, Fritz Leiber, and Sam Russell. To our
knowledge, this symposium is not available elsewhere at any price.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
47
off into nothingness, and collaged artwork. The author is evidently
trying to make various statements about society, and some of his
thoughts on words and usage almost make sense, but still,
obfuscation seems to be a way of life here. (D-20 /MG)
RURAL MISSOURI Mar. 1991 ($3.75/yr from 2722 E. McCarty,
Jefferson City, MO 65101): This one is sponsored by the state's rural
electric cooperatives, but they feature all manner of stories about
Missouri life and history. The March issue has advice on planting
cole crops, a look at a mother and son team of state senators, and
the short history of the Mormons at Independence. April tells you
what the best lakes for fishing in the state are. (T-26t/MG)
RURAL NETWORK ADVOCATE #86-87 ($10/yr from 6236 Borden
Rd., Boscobel, WI 53805): For that price you may subscribe to the
ADVOCATE, but the real thrust here is the underlying organization,
a group devoted to bringing country-oriented singles together. They
pay $35 a year to be listed in the registry and have access to other
listings. Meanwhile, the rest of us can read some tales of trials and
successes here, from the new growth in the spring to opportunities
for country employment. (S-8/MG)
RURAL SOUTHERN VOICE FOR PEACE #55 ($25/yr from
RSVP-FOR, 1898 Hannah Branch Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714): These
people tackle a broad spectrum of social issues, hoping and working
for nonviolent change. #55 reports on their Listening Project survey
of sentiment towards the Gulf war, and has a very touching article
on life on the streets. Central America, toxic waste poverty and
other concerns also turn up here. (S-20t/MG)
THE SACRED COW SIG NEWSLETTER July/Aug. 1990 ($10/6
issues from Barbara Koksal, 3392 Clemens Dr., St. Charles, MO
63301-4440): The joke about the title is that there aren't any sacred
cows here. This Mensa-affiliated Special Interest Group is open for
discussion of anything. Here that includes the veracity of the
Holocaust, women using men's restrooms, and the inhumane
treatment of priso ners. A lot of ranting, a lot of debate. (D-70r/MG)
THE SACRED WILDERNESS #10 (2 29[cent] stamps from Ann
Patterson, PO Box 15266, Santa Rosa, CA 95402): A gentle
"unpretentious" feminist newsletter from Ann and company. While
not preaching, it offers thoughts and quotes on matters of choice,
healing, and a feminist review of the movie Slewing With the Enemy.
There's also a feeling of being closer to Nature and becoming more
self-oriented. Calming and friendly. (S-6/CG)
SAMHAIN #25 ($20/5 issues from John Gullidge, 19 Elm Grove
Rd., Topsham, Exeter, Devon, EX3 0EQ, UK): A slick and well-done
zine of horror movies. This issue has a report from the set of
Caruncula and words on the making of Gorgasm. As always there
are plenty of reviews and news, plus a horrific short story. They
also look back at classics —Women Behind Bars this time—and have
a fine interview wi th Rod Bottin on his makeup w ork. (A4-40t/MG)
SAMIZDAT #17-18 ($2.50 from Claude J. Pelletier, 33, rue Prince,
#243, Montreal, Quebec H3C 2M7 CANADA): Devoted to science
fiction and written in French, the majority of each issue of Samizdat
consists of reviews of science fiction writing and filmmaking. But
each number always ends with an original sf story or two, and
number 17 includes a few interesting interviews with science
fictioneers of the French tongue. (HS-42/Reviewed by Geof Huth)
SANDWICH #6 (Trade ONLY from Adham Loutfi, 5020 Golden
Gate Ave., Oakland, CA 94618): Another issue of Adham's
personalzine, this one came out in Australia but he should be back
in Oakland by the time you read this. It's sort of a show biz issue,
with a longish letter from a friend about visiting Elvis's old haunts
and a piece of Kir k Douglas appreciation. (S-6/MG )
A SANE WOMAN Chapter 2 (50* from Concrete Caverns
Graphix, 70A Greenwich Ave., #186, New York, NY 10011): This
one is a serialized novel by Anthony Lee Collins. It's an odd idea,
different for zinedom, but so far it's working well. Collins has a
knack for characterization, and after just a few pages I'm already
caring what happens to Alex and Vinnie and the rest of the folks
in this small town . (D-8t/MG) _
SAN JUAN HORSESHOE Vol. 15 #2 ($12/12 issues from PO Box
913, Montrose, CO 81402): Weird humor from those folks out
west...perhaps the snow has addled their brains. This issue features
lots of camel jokes in honor of the war, some gossip on the elves
of the North Pole, local ski area owners acting fascistic, and more.
A confusing joy to behold. (T-24t/MG)
SASQUATCH Vol. 1 #9 ($1 from The Prime Minister of Livestock
and Heavy Machinery, 416 Maine Ave. #4A, Farmingdale, ME 04347):
Weird essays, political thought, and the news that the CIA decided
not to hire the editor fill this zine. Stories about Jenine, illustrated
kiddie stuff with a twist, proliferate. (S-8/MG)
□SAVAGE STREETS #1 ($1.00 from Jeff Jarvie, 750-119 North,
Indiana, PA 15701): A new fanzine devoted entirely to Linda Blair.
A love song (sung with tongue in cheek?) that covers her films,
her exploits, but never tries to cover her body. A breast-intensive
study with clever insights that suggest that some Bob Dylan songs
were actually referring to her, and the thought that she may have
been a prime can didate for "Twin Peaks" status. (D17r/CG)
SCAREAPHANALIA #98-99 ($7.50/yr from Michael Gingold, PO
Box 489, Murray Hill Sta., Mew York, NY 10156-0489): A horror
movie zine that goes in for longer reviews and is interested in things
other than gore. #98 talks about Sleeping With The Enemy and Nothing
But Trouble , as well as Dark Shadows and industry gossip. #99 leads
off with the suspenseful The Vanishing, and has a long chunk of
interview with dir ector Steve Barnett. (HL-8t/MG/C G)
THE SCARLET MORGUE #1-2 (50* from Decadence Comics, PO
Box 134, Waynesville, MO 65583): A collection of a lot of different
things. They feature rude jokes, movie reviews, reprinted material
from FF, a few morgue pictures, and practical joke/revenge type
ideas. Pretty unfoc used. (D-8r/MG) _
SCAVENGER'S NEWSLETTER #85-86 ($1.50 from Janet Fox, 519
Ellinwood, Osage City, KS 66523-1329): The indispensable market
newsletter for the writer of horror, SF or fantasy who wants to
work with the small text. Though market listings are the core of
SCAV, Janet also gives writers, editors and publishers a place to
talk about the state of the field. There's also reporting on response
times and a few r eviews in each issue. (D-34t/MG )
- SCIENCE FICTION EYE #8 ($10/3 issues from PO Bo* 43244,
Washington, D.C. 20010-9244): A cool zine of SF criticism, outrageous
opinions (check out Peter Lamborn Wilson on responsible writing),
reviews (including cool shots, Ruger and otherwise, from Misha)
and more. Paul Di Filippo interviews (sort of) JG Ballard, Glenn
Grant investigates THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE, and readers write
to rant at length. (S-112t/MG) _
SCROLL OF OPLONTIS Vol. 3 #1 ($3 from PO Box 1036, Beloit,
WI 53512-1036): A journal for people who want to explore in serious
fashion the classical pagan cultures. This one has an article on the
spring festivals in Rome and a look at the goddess Flora. (S-12/MG)
SECOND STONE #15 ($13/6 issues from PO Box 8340, New
Orleans, LA 70182): Bimonthly news from Christian homosexuals
and those wishing not to separate the two from each other. Both
issues are discussed widely, from anti-AIDS protestations from Ollie
North to the cover story on Joseph Houle, seminarian and editor
ofTHE ROAD TO EMMAUS. National news is covered with
complete dedication to both commitments. (T-20t/CG)
□THE SECRET ALAMEDA Vol. 1 #1 ($9/4 issues from PO Box
527, Alameda, CA 94501): It's not clear that the Alameda they're
searching for here has anything to do with the one on the map.
There's a plumber entering politics, photos of ordinary people and
dogs (not to mention palm trees) and a wine glossary for beginners.
The opening Christmas letter was quite hilarious. Very deadpan
humor, for the m ost part, I think. (S-36t/MG)
THE SECRETS OF LIFE AND DEATH #23 (50* (?) from 93 E.
Ashland, Phoenix, AZ 85004): A selection of small collages and bits
of found art. There is a cigarette-smoking machine, a classic
shoplifting arrest, someone's note about illicit drugs, and so on.
(MM-12/MG)_
□SECT 7 #0-1 (Contact Severin Head, do Kimi Information Center,
KS Building 6F, 2-54-3 Ikebukuro, Toshimaku, Tokyo 171, JAPAN):
Disgusted with the English language literature they get over there
(don't they know aboutLIZZENGREASY?), some student types and
American expatriates took a name from an old Japanese student
movement called Sect 6 and began their own zine. It covers a lot
of the Japanese underground, an airport battle being waged in Narita,
the dangers of credit cards, the "New Age Bohemian," a study of
cyberpunk, and even a few comics. Very appealing subject matter
and good coverage. (S-24t/CG)
SELF PUBLISHER! Vol.3 #1 ($1 from Dimestore Productions,
POBox 360041, Strongsville, OH 44136): This home-grown zine has
48
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
more to do with small press comics than anything else and there's
lot of cameraderie involved in it. The state of the small press is
lamented again and again, but with hopes for a better tomorrow.
Some comics revie ws and music included, too. (H L-7r/CG)
SFSFS SHUTTLE #72-73 ($15/yr membership from Gerry Adair,
1131 Harmony Way, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411): The unusual
initials stand for the South Florida Science Fiction Society and this
is their newsletter. It covers membership directory, calendar of
events, club notes, some Florida sf authors, an essay on the use of
lasers in the sf genre, and a few book reviews. Friendly. (S-18/CG)
□SHADES OF GREY #1 (Donation & a stamp from Autumn,
1519 Nicklin Ave., Piqua, OH 45356): A new zine of short essays
and opinions. They seem most interested in encouraging people to
think. Free speech, peace, cigarettes, war, and preserving the earth
all come up in thi s first issue. (D-16/MG) _
THE SHADOW #16 ($2 [CASH] from POBox 20298, New York,
NY 10009): Aggressively radical anarchist zine from the Lower East
Side with close ties to squatters and the turmoil in Tompkins Square
Park. They talk about Bronx squatters being evicted, the loss of
fellow activist Willie Butler to AIDS, and what happened at the
Anti-War rallies held in Washington, D.C. during the Gulf War,
among other domestic news. (T-20t/CG)
THE SHAKESPEARE OXFORD SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Vol. 26
#4-27 #1 ($25/yr from Victor Crichton, 207 W. 106th St. #10-D, New
York, NY 10025): This society exists to put forth the case for Edward
deVere, 17th Earl of Oxford, as the author of the plays usually
attributed to the man from Stratford. Their newsletter reprints
correspondence on the subject, the latest evidence, and notes on
debates with the Stratfordians. Intriguing, but I have not read the
main works their thesis depends on and so withhold an opinion.
(S-121/MG) _
THE SHAMAN PAPERS Vol.2 #4 ($2 Sample copy from Wade-
Greyfox, PODrawer 918, Bayard, NM 88023): A personal newsletter
from Wade in his spiritual search for shamanism. He talks about
his romance (which has traversed the centuries), his on-going pagan
and spiritual experiences, and reaches out to others who may be
going through the same thing. (S-6/CG)
SHENANDOAH NEWSLETTER Vol. 17 #12-Vol. 18 #1 ($13.50/yr
from 736 W. Oklahoma St., Appleton, WI 54914): A newsletter of
Native American history, culture, and struggle. It takes a defiant
posture, seeing the US government as invaders and enemies, and
argues for bringing up Native youth to be independent. #1 has an
editorial explaining their overall philosophy succinctly. (S22/MG)
SHERLOCKIAN TIDBITS #15 ($2 from Arnold Korotkin, 12
Glenwood Rd., Upper Montclair, NJ 07043): A collection of ads,
photos, news clippings and other media flotsam tracing the image
of Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, in our society. It finds the
master in many places, sometimes with only his magnifying glass
or deerstalker, but the clues are always enough. (S-12/MG)
SHORT FUSE #48 ($1 from Holden, PO Box 90436, Santa Barbara,
CA 93190-0436): Dreams, poetry and artwork combine here in a
haphazard collage of work direct from artist to reader, with no
mediating presence of editors. Contributors come from the roiling
stratum of the underground, Oberc, Cammer, Moskovitz, Weiss and
many more. (S-25/MG)
SHOTS #26 ($15/yr from Dan Price, PO Box 109, Joseph, OR
97846): This magazine of honest contemporary photos, printed on
chummy newsprint, seems to be growing again. All the material
comes from just plain folks, not struggling for prizes but actually
trying to take interesting pictures. People, cars, hats, mirrors,
whatever; all black and white photos will be looked over. (0-72t/MG)
SHOW ME FREEDOM Jan. 1991 ($5/yr from MO LP, PO Box
3231, University City, MO 63130): The newsletter of the Missouri
Libertarian Party, already showing signs of renewed activity as the
'92 elections approach. TTiis issue has the smiling face of Presidential
candidate Andre Marrou on the cover, and inside essays on welfare
states, recruiting, and more. (S-8t/MG)
SIGN OF THE TIMES Vol.5 #1 ($4.50 Sample copy from Studio
403, 3819 .Northeast 15th, Portland, OR 97212): Exceptional modern
litmag with the subtitle "AChronicle of Decadence in the Atomic
Age." The selection of stories is superb, from Brenda Munroe's tale
of a friend who sells his star-laden porno dream to a cable tv show
to Todd Cobb's unusual analogy of Christ's last days with Charlie
Brown and Linus playing out the lead roles. Very genuine story
telling. (S-32t/CG) _
SIMPLE COOKING Winterl991 ($16/4 issues from POBox 58,
Castine, ME): I could sit with this one all day. A very friendly and
personable guide to the joys of food, without any of the intimidation
you'd find in the hoity-toity nouvelle cookbooks. Each issue centers
on one aspect of cooking and eating, with sidebars devoted to
assorted subjects. This issue we learn all about "Russians and
Mushrooms," with a guide to drying your own; notes on the
"Southern Cornbread Contrversy;" more reviews of cookbooks, and
a tiny little essay about diners, which of course I found to be
absolutely enlighte ning. (S-12t/CG) _
□THE SKEPTIC Vol. 4 #6-Vol. 5 #1 (£2.70 surface or £4.50 air
from PO Box 475, Manchester, M60 2TH, UK): The journal of the
British analog of CSICOP, a place for skeptics to hang out and
demolish pseudoscience. They seem to have more of a sense of
humor than their American cousins, but still find a lot of things to
go after: Scientology and past life regressions in #6 (which also has
a good review of polywater research), Nostradamus and the Martian
canals in #1, just to take a few. (A4-32t/MG)
SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Vol. 15 #3 ($6.25 from CSICOP, 3159
Bailey Ave., Buffalo, NY 14215-0229): The magazine of the Committee
for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, hardcore
defenders of rationality. Sometimes they seem a bit too serious, as
with the short bit in this issue taking a movie to task for improperly
portraying skepticism. But their major articles are solid investiga¬
tions—there's one in this issue on Satanic survivor stories, for
example, that is v ery good. (D-116t/MG) _
□SKRAG RAG #1 ($1 & a stamp from Skrag Happy Freak, 500
Jefferson #17, Eugene, OR 97402): A collection of underground and
somewhat mindblowing material. There are plans for a souped-up
(and damned dangerous) Molotov cocktail, some hemp legalization
material, dark collage graphics, a demand for menstrual power, and
weird industrial m usic. (D-24/MG) _
SLIMETRAX #11 ($1/3 issues from PO Box 1305, Suite 122,
Brunswick, ME 04011): I always enjoy finding this one in my pile.
What started out as an unassuming "satire of drunken sailors" has
burgeoned into a SubGenius-laced zine attracting the most [interest¬
ing] sorts. There's still that military edge to it—Iraq jokes left and
right—still the drink recipes, but now they're getting reader responses
from the likes of Stang, Nenslo, Cynde Moya, and weird trekkies.
And what's ironic is that this is the "leftovers" issue. Fame at last.
(HL-7r/CG) _
□SLOPPY JOE #1 ($1 from Aaron Ruark, 7589 Bearcreek Rd.,
Fairview, PA 16415-2606): Aaron's contribution to the world of zines,
his personal statement of being in the small press. Mostly random
collage and reprints, talk about the First Amendment rights, sex,
and skate stories and interviews. He's interested in hearing from
folks who dig vampire stuff, skateboards, and music. (D-32r/CG)
SLOW LANE JOURNAL #3 ($9.50/4 issues from POBox 876,
Sacramento, CA 95812-0876): This one has the feel ofOUTWEST—a
roving reporter in a mobile home treks through the country visiting
small towns and talking to its folk. Fun and charming, we leisurely
learn how to avoid going through Los Angeles, a senior softball
league, and also a trip to Germany the editor and his family took.
(T-28t/CG) _
S.L.U.G. FEST LTD. Vol. 1 #3 ($5 from PO Box 536, Leominster,
MA 01543): A collection of miscellaneous essays, news bits, and
other randomosities. They tackle the growth of doublespeak, print
some stories about the bad effects of alcohol, and excerpt a book
on the seige of Leningrad. These are just a few points in their
wide-ranging span of interests. (S-30t/MG)
SMALL PRESS REVIEW #218 ($20/yr from Dustbooks, POBox
100, Paradise, CA 95967): Long-running monthly publication with
notes, news and reviews of the stuff that should eventually reach
the mainstream (hopefully with its integrity). Of note in this issue
is the question a reader poses about the total self-interest of many
would-be contribut ors to magazines. (S-15t/CG)
SMITH'S REPORT #4 ($1 from Bradley R. Smith, PO Box 3267,
Visalia, CA 93278): This one chronicles Bradley Smith's attempts to
get an open debate going on one or another college campus on the
subject of Holocaust Revisionism. As usual, every time he tries to
set up a speaking engagement horrified people come out of the
woodwork to deny him a forum. Funny how free speech works in
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
49
this country some times. (S-6t/MG)
SNEEZING JESUS #3 ($1 or trade from Queen Itchie, POBox
624, Sherburne, NY 13460): Queen Itchie and her rampant
imagination continue to conjure up brouhahas through the mail. She
throws her muse at us with short bits about favorite band names
and hobbies, her interview with the Dead Milkmen, and graphic
fantasies about menstruation. Like being on a rollercoaster inside
someone's brain. (D-14r/CG)
SNOW COUNTRY Mar./Apr. 1991 ($7.97/8 issues from PO Box
2071, Harlan, IA 51593): Though this one is the "year-round magazine
of mountain sports and living", this particular winter issue is mainly
devoted tot he prime sport of skiing. Resort reviews, a test for
skiers, and plenty of tips on how to do it grace these colorful pages.
There's also some weird sports, like snowboarding behind horses
or mountain-bike limbo, as well as a section on new designs of
mountain bikes. (S-96t/MG)
SOCIAL ANARCHISM #16 ($3.50 from 2743 Maryland Ave.,
Baltimore, MD 21218): An academically-styled journal of anarchy
which is still happy to do non-academic things such as print poetry.
This issue has a great interview with Colin Ward and similarly
fascinating recollections from Howard Ehrlich. They also review a
good batch of boo ks of interest to practicing anarc hists. (D-94t/MG)
□SOCIAL INVENTIONS #17 ($30 CASH or $40 check per year
from Institute for Social Inventions, 20 Heber Road, London NW2
6 A A, UK): This one is for people interested in finding ways to make
the world better via social ideas, with an emphasis on human scale
changes. There are a great many ideas in here, many with
promise—everything from ways to humanize medical care to
siphoning off small change to charity. (A4-44t/MG)
□SOCIETY NEWS Vol. 1 #1 ($10/yr from CHS, PO Box 277652,
Chicago, IL 60627-7652): This is the newsletter of the new Chicago-
Horror Society, a group trying to help out authors and others
working in the field. They publish notices and writings from members
in a completely uncensored format. (S-8/MG)
SOLAR BOX JOURNAL Winter 1991 ($20/yr from Solar Box
Cookers Northwest, 7036 18th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115): A
newsletter with a good idea, working on spreading it. The idea is
for cheap to build solar ovens—they can provide plans for making
something for only a couple of bucks that will cook your dinner on
a sunny day. They report on successes in introducing these in places
like India, as well as here at home. (S-12t/MG)
SOME PLACE LIKE EARTH #9 (50[cents] from Chris Caggiano,
1737 Grove St. #1, Ridgewood, NJ 11385): Combination of personal
commentary on censorship in movies and tv, a reprint of a declaration
and court order detailing stamp thefts, and a listing of Chris' immense
tape trading collection, which includes much more than music.
(D-22r/CG)
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING #14 (SASE from Idy, 516 3rd NE,
Massillon, OH 44646): A minizine of mainly reviews—fanzines,
music, and other stuff. Idy also publishes some short poetry, notes
on eating cheaply, and advice on what to do if the radical vegetarians
come after you. Plus there is a piece on what the Bible doesn't say
about cussing. (D-8r/MG)
SOMNIAL TIMES Vol. Ill #1 ($1 from Gloria Reiser, 1253 Park
PI., Quincy, IL 62301): This is the newsletter of MENSA's "Dreamers"
Special Interest Group (SIG)—people interested in recording, sharing,
and discussing their dreams. A number of people contribute, with
everything from one-paragraph snippets to full-blown sagas covering
many pages. They've tried group dreaming at times, though with
limited success. (S-12t/MG)
SOS NATIONAL NEWSLETTER Vol. 4 #1 ($15/yr from
SOS/CODESH, PO Box 5, Central Park Sta., Buffalo, NY 14215-0005):
SOS stands for Secular Organizations for Sobriety—mutual-help
groups that do not depend on the "Higher Power" that is central
to the Alcoholics Anonymous program. The newsletter is divided
between positive things about SOS and negative examinations of
AA, plus letters and resources. (S-8t/MG)
THE SOUTHERN FANDOM CONFEDERATION BULLETIN #8
($3 from P.L. Caruthers-Montgomery, 2629 Norwood Ave., Anniston,
AL 36201-2872): A science fiction zine that rounds up news from all
over the South. They report on conventions and zines and apas and
awares and more. This issue also has a report on Dark Shadows
fandom and notes on access for the disabled, as well as plenty of
letters. (S-48r/MG)_
SOUTHERN LIBERTARIAN MESSENGER Vol.XIX #7 ($8/yr from
Route 10 Box 52A, Florence, SC 29501): Libertarian clippings and
commentary with a sometimes playful attitude towards unplayful
situations. Random drug testing, economic exploitation, literacy, and
digs at the IRS appear, as well as a few pokes at politicians national
and local. (S-6r/CG)_
□SPACE GOD #1-2 (Free with postage from Steve Lawrence,
3028 Quimby St., San Diego, CA 92106): Scattered SubGenius
messages and personal musings from Lawrence, who finds things
to provoke his interest and includes them in here. There's a scary
reprint of "24 Amazing Fact of the USA" all about the corruption
and destruction of the American government, city and financial
status. #2 looks to be snippets of everything that has caught Steve's
eye lately, and some of it would probably catch yours as well.
(D-8r/CG/MG) _
□SPASMS Winter 1990 ($12/4 issues from 504 W. 24th #87, Austin,
TX 78705): A zine of popular culture with a luch, innovative desktop
layout. TTiey've got weird and wooly fiction, poetry, comics (good
work from Roy Tompkins among some self-referential oddness) and
more. There's a fashion page and music reviews too. Hip enough
to be cool. (S-70t/MG)_
SPECTRUM #17 ($10/yr from 61 Dutile Rd., Laconia, NH 03246):
"Spectrum" is absolutely right. This wholistic news bimonthly covers
everything—from yoga to global warming, from healing with magnets
to organic wine, from the Peace Corps to vasectomies. A good
companion periodical to practically any other news magazine.
(S-34t/CG) _
SPENT BRASS #3-4 ($1/2 copies from Andy Hooper & Carrie
Root, 315 N. Ingersoll, Madision, WI 53703): A fannish zine which
collects some wonderful writers (including Andy himself, on car
repairs—shade of my past zines). In #3 Ted White touches oft some
fans past while Jeanne Gomolt delights with tales of her family. #4
"'■SHI THE CARTOONIST’S
ITRSJH BIBLE IS BORN AGAIN!
The magazine that headed for
the mountains & encountered a
burning Busch is back! SNICKER
is the forum for absolutely
free & robust artistic expres¬
sion and is the underground
tabloid that more bigshot
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than any other leading subter¬
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Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
is an all-letters issue, comments from a batch of top sfzine writers
on the previous o ne. (S-6/MG) _
□SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION #1 ($1 CASH and SASE from
Rainbow Fire, 29 Mt. Pleasant St., Webster, MA 01570): A new zine
of the counterculture, looking to inject some more peace and positive
energy into the world. It's full of love and hand printing and contacts
with other hip groups and more. Cosmic ally frien dly. (S-8/MG)
□THE SPOT Apr, 1991 ($5/yr from PO Box 595729, Dallas, TX
75359): Um, "camp" and "collage" are the words that come to mind
here. The main feature seems to be a gossip column, written in
outrageous style but not making a whole heck of a lot of sense to
this outsider. Random recombinant headlines murk on the reverse.
(D-8r/MG) _
□SPUDBURN #5 (Contact Crag Hill, 491 Mardara #3, Oakland,
CA 94610): Unusual art/literary packet that's hand-written, hand-
drawn, unbound and all original (each piece is original, there are
no photo copies. Interesting graphics and pencil work, but to me
it resembles an ar t class project. (D-20/CG) _
SQUAWK! #38-39 ($2 CASH from Mick Cusimano, PO Box 2565,
Cambridge, MA 02238): The magazine of the Naked City Coffee¬
house, one of the hangouts for the strangest literary crowd in Boston.
#38 is loaded with history, as Lionel Landish and Mick Cusimano
reminisce about the founding of Naked City, the antics of Egg Al,
STREET magazine, and so on. They also publish works from Naked
City readings and assorted art and cartoons. (HL- 24r/MG)
THE STAMP ACT Winter 1991 ($2.00 from—[make check payable
to Steven Bryan Bieler] 7307 6th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117): Only
two more issues to go in the name above, until Steven relinquishes
his post to co-rubber stamper A Classic Pair. These folks do wild
'n wooly things with rubber stamps, making new art from stamps
old and new. Some make pretty marketable postcards. (S-19/CG)
THE STANFORD REVIEW Vol. VI #17 ($25/yr from PO Box
2343, Stanford, CA 94309): A conservative student paper which is
less confrontational than some of the ilk. They do feature some
humor and baiting of their opponents, but it's downplayed in favor
of editorial analysis and thoughtful essays. War is big in this issue,
including a look at the prospects for democracy in Iraq. (T-8t/MG)
STAR ROUTE JOURNAL Vol.9 #1 ($10/10 issues from POBox
1451, Redway, CA 95560-1451): Free thinking and leftist thought
combine with the counterculture and some pretty nasty barbs at the
system. The Persian Gulf War is examined thoroughly, along with
some "guidelines" for living in the New World Order (e.g. drive
everywhere, watch lots of TV, buy plastic), a column by the Country
Feminist, local Northern California events and discussions and a
touching story by Albert Huffstickler. (T-20t/CG)
THE STATE CRITIC Feb. 22, 1991 ($20/yr From State Critic
Society, 1010 W. Lenoir St., Raleigh, NC 27603): A conservative
college student paper that doesn't mind being outrageous. Various
writers in this issue condemn the environmentalist movement and
want to stomp out smut. Some of their short bits are very funny.
(S-16t/MG)
THE STERLING WEB Vol.2 #2 ($5.50 from POBox 38383,
Tallahassee, FL 32315): A classy literary magazine of science fiction
and dark fantasy, with other related genres snuck in there, too.
There's a nice mix of seasoned and new writers of fiction and poetry
(check out T.M. Wright's "His Mother's Eyes") and an interview
with Wright in this issue.
We also got a freeSTERL-
ING WEB button this
time around.(S-64t/CG)
STORM WARNING!
#18 ($1 from 4710 Uni¬
versity Way NE, Suite
1612, Seattle, WA 98105):
The publication from
Vietnam Veterans
Against the War Anti-Im¬
perialist. They analyze
the US involvement and
progressive military pres¬
ence in the world and
work hard at fighting it.
Articles include a discus¬
sion of media manipula¬
tion, more letters from soldiers in the gulf, and some historical looks
at Vietnam. (D-31/CG)_
STREET VOICE #4 (SASE from PO Box 22962, Baltimore, MD
21203): A single-sheeter by and for the addict and street person
community in Baltimore. They write about alternatives, the hassles
of treatment, and so on. Oriented towards surviva l. (S-2t/MG)
STRESSED OUT #13 (50* CASH/Stamps from Pauline Poisonous,
do FUSE 333 SW Park 4th FI., Portland, OR 97205): This is a special
issue dealing just with the draft, and the legal means to get out of
it. Pauline covers the well-known things like conscientious objection
and the more unusual, such as documenting a medical condition.
Includes notes on where to write for more info. ( HL-16r/MG)
STROKER #48 ($3.95 from POBox 625, Cooper Station, New
York, NY 10276): Distinguished literary publication always with just
the right amount of contents. As always, there's a Henry Miller
piece (this time an interview in 1969), and another excerpt from
Irving Stettneris novel-in-progress, as well as some poetry from Pat
McKinnon and Joseph Resnick, 'literary' photos and solid fiction.
(D-481/CG) _
SUBJECT TO CHANGE #14 ($15/yr from 68 Queensdale Ave.,
Toronto, ONT, M4J 1Y3, CANADA): A newsletter from the Alliance
for Nonviolent Action, a group of activists in and around Toronto.
This issue is heavily into resisting war, with interviews with Philip
Berrigan and Daniel Ellsberg, an article on Litton's military contracts,
and a supplement about the annual ARMX arms s how. (S-46t/MG)
SUBTEXT Vol. 2 #3-5 ($12/6 months from 305 N. 43rd, Seattle,
WA 98103): A biweekly news tabloid which concentrates on world
affairs, mainly in the developing world. #3 was published in early
February, and is full of news about the impact of the Gulf War. #4
is back to their usual broad format, with everything from the Indian
census to a story about dumping radioactive waste in the Third
World in the guise of recycled products. The coup in Thailand and
the growing international drug trade put in an appearance in #5.
(T-8t/MG) _
THE SUBTLE JOURNAL OF RAW COINAGE #43 ($1 & a stamp
from Geof Huth, 317 Princetown Rd., Box 289-B, Schenectady, NY
12306): A collection of strange words and new coinages. This issue,
subtitled "Gnowing" holds such gems as "eyeye" and "jellymoonf-
ish". (M-8/MG)
A SUITABLE JOB FOR A WOMAN #13 ($1.50 from Sharon
Rose, 203 Talley Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37411): A zine for the lover
of mystery novels involving women, whether as writer or protago¬
nist. It's conducted on an informal basis, with the bulk of the
contents being reviews and opinion contained in letters from readers.
(S-14t/MG) __
□THE SUN AND THE MOON March-April 91 (Trade or stamps
from Kurt Boucher, POBox 322, Sandy Hook, CT 06482): A personal
zine of opinion, commentary and general liveliness. Kurt lets his
readers know what's been going on in his life these days, offers
contributors' articles on the so-called importance of money and a
"good education," publishes a response to an article of his about
anger, some Weinman poetry, and a readers survey. People reaching
out for intellectual stimulation. (D-12r/CG)
THE SUNDRY TIMES #2/#4 (On request from Art L., POBox
1612, Bellflower, CA 90706): Spunky handwritten zine of drug
legalizing, anti-authoritarian nature. The opinions are fiery and full
of emotion concerning the issues at hand. Some talk about drug
testing (how it affects everyone), new laws in various states. #4 has
a male/female article on the aspects of men and women in
relationships. (S-10/CG)
SYNERGY #2 (29* postage from Mitchell Marco, 12 N. Haverford
Ave., Margate, NJ 08402): A sort of literary zine with a variety of
oddball work. I enjoyed the comics from the deranged artist and
the somewhat shaggy-doggish story "Aardvark" from Jess Levin".
They're also offering free classifieds, looking for music to review
and photos to print. (S-12/MG)
TAB TO BLOCK BISCUSPID Vol.2 #1 ($1(?) from Blackhumour,
PO Box 315, Station A, Vancouver, B.C. CANADA): A most enigmatic
journal challenging the brain. I'm beginning to figure this one out
a little, although not much. Continuing from the last issue, the
"multidimensional thinker" makes a few appearances—abstract
thoughts on "attitude=information," and the arrow of entropy are
all featured as well. In addition, this curious zine is beginning to
Star Route Journal
&
the best in
organic , unprocessed
counterculture
Sample copies $1.25
Subscriptions $12/year
P.O. Box 1451
Redway, CA 95560
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
51
refer to itself, so it seems a little more accessible, at least you know
someone is out there. Still one of my favorites, although why I
don't know. (S-8t/CG)_
□TALES OF...BLARG! #1-2 (25* from Olga Snodgrass, PO Box
4047, Berkeley, CA 94704-0047): A great new punk-feminist zine that
could really shake up a few worldviews. Olga and her pal Helga
write about herbal abortions, fantasize about ways to get revenge
on men, go into blunt facts of female anatomy and otherwise cut
loose. Alternately hilariously funny and scarily ser ious. (D-28/MG)
TALKING LEAVES Mar. 1991 ($15/yr from 1430 Willamette #367,
Eugene, OR 97401): A bioregional tabloid that is working on
enhancing and developing a sense of oneness with the earth and
its other denizens. This is the "symbols, myth and magic" issue,
with interesting words from Lone Wolf Circles, more hundredth
monkey stuff, and continued ideas on making a difference in the
world. (T-24t/MG) _
TAP #103-104 ($2 from PO Box 20264, Louisville, KY 40250-0264):
A zine for hackers and others who like to play around with new
an illicit technology. These issues have articles on hacking ATM
machines and modifying scanners to get you into frequencies where
you are not supposed to be, plus some gossip from the computer
underground circui t. (D-20r/MG) _
TAPADANCE #149 (Contact Tina Forsyth Butler, PO Box 567,
W. Brookfield, MA 01585): An amateur press association with a
pleasant family feeling about it. One gets the impression that the
writers here are mostly old friends, sharing conversation in front of
the fireplace. No nastiness, no set topics, just a good group of
people chatting to gether. (S-76/MG) _
□TEKELI-LI #1 ($5.50 from Montilla Publications, do Jon Cooke,
106 Hanover Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02861): A new "journal of terror"
which looks back into classic stuff from Lovecraft and before and
forward into the current generation of horror writers. This issue has
a fat section on Les Daniels, lots of reviews, short fiction, dark
artwork, a critique of splatterpunk, and plenty more. A fine critical
start. (D-68t/MG) _
TEMPORARY CULTURE #5 ($5 from Henry Wessells, PO Box
8180, New York, NY 10116-4650): This is the "Red (Manifesto) Issue",
with a swatch of paint across the cover and visionary writings inside.
Read about fear of really flying, the city of fire, Exteriorism, and
other obscurities. An interesting read and a chewy one, theory and
practice bubbling up from some unique intersection of cultures.
(HS-22r/MG)
THE TEST BANNER Spring 1991
($5/yr or more donation from American
Peace Test, PO Box 26725, Las Vegas, NV
89126): A tabloid paper that reports on
and coordinates actions opposing nuclear
weapons testing in the US and (to a lesser
extent) around the world. They report on
recent actions and announce upcoming
ones, plus look at legal efforts to stop the
testing. (T-20t/MG)
THE TEXAS SF INQUIRER #37 ($1.50
from FACT, PO Box 9612, Austin, TX
76012): A SF zine which opens this issue
with an editorial about the media and
their reporting of Desert Storm. There's a
report on Soonercon, some reviews, and
a long and fascinating interview with
Katharine Eliska Kimbriel. (S-16t/MG)
TFYS Vol. X ($2 CASH/stamps from
Spartacus, PO Box 22551, Memphis, TN
38122-0551): This is the final TFYS, but
don't worry, Spartacus says he'll be back
with another zine in a few months. It's
a wide-ranging collection of essays, trav¬
elogue, wanted posters for Christ, and
other communication from the margins,
designed to change the world or at least
help people wake up a bit. Vaguely
anarchist in tenor though not at all
dogmatic. (D-40r/MG)
THANATEROS #4 ($6 from PO Box
89143, Atlanta, GA 30312): An occult
magazine which explores some of the frontiers of modern ritual
magickal practice. Topics in this issue include Ma'at magick, Orisha
systems. Chaos astrology, a new version of the Tarot with Gnostic
correspondences, and rituals involving cut-ups. TOPY members and
other strange personages appear here, and the result is a
mind-blowing stew of ideas about the cosmos and everything in it.
(S-58t/MG)
THAT LONG NEWSPAPER SPOON #5-6 (25 1 & SASE from Tom
Long, 1122 1/2 N. 13th, DeKalb, IL 60115): Strange literary efforts
that reference the war in an obscure fashion. #5 is the more linear
of the two, musing on the war as a form of animism, a symbolic
way to deal with America's problems. (D-4/MF)
THAT'S EXPLOITATION! #2 ($3 from Gene Freese, 6426 Durango
Dr., Ft. Wayne, IN 46815): A b-movie zine that focuses not so much
on the movies (though Gene does review a handful in each issue)
as on the actors who played in them. This issue has extensive
biographical information on William Smith and Charles Napier.
(S-24/MG) _
THEY WONT STAY DEAD! #4 ($1.50 from Brian Johnson, 11
Werner Rd., Greenville, PA 16125): A zine of cheesy movies and
occasional related cultural artifacts—this one has a review of the
Revell "Visible Head" model, for example. Luther the Geek and Heathers
are among the cin ematic offerings. (D-16/MG)
THING #4 ($3.00 from 2151 W. Division, Chicago, IL 60622-3056):
An outrageous and fun magazine by and for gay black men, but
the rest of us can enjoy it as well. It covers arts and entertainment,
gossip, an interview with Vaginal Davis, Ultra Nate, Dennis Cooper
and Gary Indiana, performance and audio reviews, and then has
room for the serious stuff. With strong writing and humor, they fill
a void out there t hat surely needs it. (S-46t/CG)
THIRD WORLD FORUM Vol. 20 #5 ($1 (?) from 13 Lower
Freeborn, IC Davis, ASUCD #4000, Davis, CA 95616): A student-run
paper from the University of California at Davis. They take a look
at major issues, both on campus and in the world, from a people
of color perspective. War in the Gulf, candidates for student
government, and problems of racism are among the contents.
(-12t/MG) _
THOUGHTS #26 ($9/yr from Mother Earth College of Ontario,
2, The Pines, 100 Bain Ave., Riverdale, Toronto, ONT, M4K 1E8,
CANADA): A collection of reprints and quotes and short essays
dealing with ecological, pagan, and related issues. Restoring the
earth, the continued push for nuclear power
in Canada, pagan publications, book re¬
views, holistic health and the state of the
ice caps are just a few of the issues here.
(L-58/MG)
THREE TWENTY SEVEN Vol.2 #1 ($1
(?) from 115 15th St. W. #3, Minneapolis,
MN 55403): "A publication by and for
people bom on 3/27. And other." An
unusual idea from an unusually jocular
group of people—they are witty and clever
in their assessments of culture, war, prog¬
ress (a must read article on progress), and
burning questions of life, such as "Why are
women named Margaret called 'Peg'?" Only
one thing, they forgot to mention Michael
York (also bom on 3/27). (D-7/CG)
THRESHOLD Vol. 3 #3-4 ($15/yr from
PO Box 1168, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-1168):
The newsletter of the Student Environmen¬
tal Action Coalition, a group of activists
who are talking directly to corporations at
the same time they're engaging in direct
action. Most amusing in #3 is a copy of a
report from some corporate intelligence
service on them, and their own report of
a meeting with BP officials. Exciting and
active. #4 has much on strategy and tactics,
including a look at the lessons to be learned
from the SDS experience. (S-48t/MG)
THUNDERBOW II NEWSLETTER #17-
18 ($15/12 issues from Church of Seven
Arrows, POBox 185, Wheatridge, CO 80034-
52
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
0185): Intended as a cross-reference and dialogue publication between
pagans and non-pagans. Planetary balances, a calendar of events,
I-Ching, book reviews, and news bites from across the nation are
listed. There's also usually a channeled article or two. (S-12/CG)
TINA Bizarre Sex Issue ($2 CASH/Stamps from Osiris Ranebo,
PO Box 1914, Bellingham, WA 98227-1914): A very strange little
zine, with everything from a blasphemous picture of Jesus to an
article on sex with inflatable rubber animals. It comes with a free
tampon, letters from other readers, and an overall sense that there
is some odd cosmic joke going on here with the Sacred Vegetable.
(D-36t/MG) _
TONGA DADA Vol. 1 #3/4 (Stamps from Jerry Tonga, 58 N.
Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon, NY 10553): Another collection of
photocopy art. Jerry incorporates fish, cellular telephones, heads and
more into his work, which is then massaged and deconstructed by
the fallible eye of the copier. Comes with a free st icker. (M-16/MG)
TORN SCROTUM #5 ($2.75 CASH from PO Box 1523, Place
Bona venture, Montreal, QUE, H5A 1H6, CANADA): A zine of
madness, horror and nastiness in contemporary culture. Circumcision
as child abuse, nasty poetry, legal highs (though I am not sure I
would trust what it has to say about toads), a Mike Diana illustration,
aand more. (S-20/MG)_
□TOTAL ECLIPSE Vol. 5 #1 ($2 from J. Taylor Block, PO Box
1055, Suisun City, CA 94585): A selection of oddball news for the
discerning reader. There's a fire in a freak museum, some blighted
castles from Scotland, news of non-celibate priests, Japanese religion,
reviews of books on magic and plenty more here . (S-12t/MG)
A TOUCH OF TEASE #2 ($1.50 from Dr. Weasle, 23 Nelson
Ave. #3, Kingston, ONT, K7I 3W6, CANADA): A selection of pinup
drawings from the mysterious Dr. Weasle. This time he shows off
his bondage drawings, all young women in leather boots and rubber
and whips and so on. From classy to sleazy. (D-2 8/MG)
TOURIST TRAP #10 ($1 from POBox 1033, Newport, R.I. 02840):
This one keeps getting better with each issue. The Kinsella brothers
(editors) have two distinct voices but share the same outlook on
alternative presentations and knowledge. The editorial subjects range
from phony righteousness to phony record collectors; this issue
includes poetry from Weinman and Weiss, music and zines reviews,
some unusual perceptions on the homeless and a guide to lobbying
for causes in your state. Dedicated and honest stu ff. (S-36/CG)
TOTAL ECLIPSE Vol.5 #2 ($2 from POBox 1055, Suisun City,
CA 94585): A Wiccan publication with a lot of diverse interests, the
lead story is about Madame Blavatsky ("Queen of Theosophy"), a
19th century medium, while other articles include unleashing psychic
energy on the Medfly, a demonic presence in northwestern Italy,
and another 19th century figure, the Comtesse de Castiglione who
resembled a real li fe, female Dorian Gray. (S-12/C G)
TRANET #69 ($30/yr from PO Box 567, Rangeley, ME 04970):
This one provides an overview of the many grassroots alternative
& Transformational movements out there, people trying to help other
people with technology and ideas that make sense. #69 is the annual
members directory issue, in which dozens of folks explain their own
particular projects and invite direct networking. (S -8t/MG)
TRANSITIONS ABROAD Mar/Apr 1991 ($4.50 Smaple copy from
Dept. TRA, Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834): The quarterly magazine
for those wishing to live and work abroad, whether through schools
or on your own. This issue is devoted to Eastern Europe: the Soviet
Union (giving alternatives to packaged tourism), confusion in
travelling in the Eastern Bloc, and various work camps in that part
of the world. Articles are written by people who have lived these
experiences, so th e information can be very valua ble. (S-64t/CG)
□TRAP DOOR #10 ($4.75 from Robert Lichtman, PO Box 30,
Glen Ellen, CA 95442): This is a science fiction zine in the classic
genzine format—a rapidly declining genre, judging by Robert's own
statistics on the matter in this issue. He prints material from a
number of fandom's greats: a short story by Terry Carr, a meandering
column from Redd Boggs, Bob Shaw on weird experiences. There
is also a long and thoughtful lettercol featuring much discussion of
the state of fan publishing. (HL-48t/MG)
TRIDENT #61-62 ($5 from Embassy of Satan, PO Box 666,
Whitehall, PA 18052): A Satanist zine which claims that most or all
of the others are impure, religious loonies rather than social realists.
This issue lays out their place in Satanic history, goes after
mainstream religion, and offers various goodies from VHS rituals to
pacts with the dev il you can sign. (S-20/MG)
TRIPE #5 (50* & SASE from Greg Petix, 1323 N, Norton, Tucson,
AZ 85719): A medley of material. There's a comic translating
mythological themes into a modern setting, some altered and cropped
photos, and surreal disturbing poetry. Greg also records TRIPE
AUDIO FANZINE on his answering machine; you can hear it at
602-326-6684. _
TRIPS #2 ($2 Sample copy from 401 Richmond St.W., Ste. 348,
Toronto, Ontario M5V 1X3 CANADA [make check payable to
Breakaway Media]): The second issue is here and looking a lot more
rounded out with international adventures described in detail by the
people who actually went there and experienced them. Read about
hiking in Ecuador, partying in New Zealand and watching out for
yourself in Belize. Looks like this one is gaining momentum.
(S-14/CG) _
TRUTH SEEKER Vol.117 #7 ($4.00 Single issue from POBox 2832,
San Diego, CA 92112): A most singular and outspoken freethought
magazine. The articles printed represent a desire to explore the entire
subject, no matter what, and present all sides to the issue. #7 covers
two main subjects: that of the plight of children i.e. their rights,
their culture, the aspects of sexual and religious abuse, et al. The
other topic, so ironically converse, is that of Wilhelm Reich and his
findings. Each article makes bold statements, both pro and con, with
responses and defenses intact. An excellent source of debates.
(S-56t/CG)
TURBOT O'BRIAN Vol. 1 #8 ($5/yr from PO Box 41302, Tucson,
AZ 85717-1302): Weird little pamphlet zine that refuses to stay in
any pigeonhole for long. This issue has a gossipy story about a
tangled love relationship, plus some weird ads. (S-2/MG)
TWILIGHT OF THE IDOLS #2 ($2 from 3739 Balboa St. #142,
San Francisco, CA 94121): A zine that is out to bust a few
preconceptions—and a few other things, judging by the heavy-duty
bomb plans here. There's a great short story featuring two punks
and a bluesman, bizarre sexual fetishes, and an anti-work comic, to
name a few more features. (S-24/MG)
TWISTED #12 ($1 from Jamie Early, 11698 Howitzer Ln.,
Woodbridge, VA 22192): A skateboarding zine with some of the
finest skate photos I've seen—nice screening, good printing, good
camera angles. Jamie writes a few words about each place and
person seen and finds room to tuck in some music reviews too.
(D-20t/MG) _
T.W.I.T. Vol.l #2 ($30/yr from Excogitations, PO Box 6260,
Pasadena, TX 77506 [make check payable to Excogitations]): "Third
World International Traveler." A travel newsletter of a specific type:
this is for the swinging bachelor type who wishes to find fun and
sex in exotic lands, primarily Thailand. Actually it's quite informative
and detailed; the editor relays all of his experience in dealing with
hotels, cabs, brothels, money, cleanliness, and duly advises potential
adventurers to take heed while touring. There's also an added feature
on the use of condoms (bring your own) and the prevalence of
AIDS and other diseases. Friendly advice on an unusual hobby.
(S-8/CG) __
UFO Vol. 6 #2 ($5 from California UFO, 1800 S. Robertson Box
355, Los Angeles, CA 90035): A magazine that is valiantly trying to
sort out the disinformation from the facts in the UFO field, dealing
with FOIA requests, eyewitness reports, photos, hypnosis and more.
The overall sense I get is that something is going on, that the
government has deliberately confused the picture, and that trying
to get the answer s is a sure route to major confu sion. (S-48t/MG)
□UNCLE Vol. 4 #2 ($2.25 from 201 Wyandotte, Kansas City,
MO): A litmag that bills itself as "for those who have given up".
This gives them latitude to run some pretty experimental stuff,
including Rosalind Warren's "The Year's BEST Short Story" and an
advice column that devolves into a bitching session over getting
fired. For people who find the usual short story and poetry forms
too constraining. (D-64t/MG)
□UNCOMMON SENSE Vol.l #1-2 ($1 (?) from PO Box 40710,
Portland, OR 97240-0710):An exceptional newsletter of satire and
parody, primarily poking fun at the powers that be, they claim to
be centered at the Portland Pataphysical Outpatient Clinic, Lounge
and Laundromat. They cleverly imitate press news and analysis
covering the Gulf War ("Desert Swarm"), the rhetorical impeachment
of the president ("All We Are Saying Is Give Quayle A Chance"),
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
53
and their chief goal is to "encourage revolution through laughter
and derision" while "opposing idiocy whenever possible." Good
stuff. (S-6/CG)
□UNDERGROUND QUARTERLY ($1 (?) from PO Box 26517,
Philadelphia, PA 19141):This is a no-frills publication with only one
purpose: to help people not get picked up by airport narcs. Of
course, we would never assume readers wanted to smuggle drugs,
this is just to make sure they don't get tagged as couriers by mistake.
(D-6r/MG) _
THE UNDERGROUND S-CENSORED Vol.23 #1-2 ($1 or trade
from Greg Carden, 7216 Briarcliff Drive, Springfield, VA 22153): In
the great tradition of underground high school newsletters, this one
comes from a student who already graduated from the school and
is still pissed off about its censorious attitude. There was an incident
of note concerning a sexual minority discussion and support group
that was controversial and ruffled everyone's collars. Everyone from
Eugene Debs to Bob Dobbs has their say in here, and it ends with
an ardent call for standing up for your beliefs and thoughts. #2
comes along with absolutely nothing written in it except a plea for
people to write in their feelings themselves. Two pages of blankness
waiting to be filled. A meritorious effort. (S-4r/CG)
THE UNINTELLIGENCER #2 ($1 CASH from Embassy of Planet
Claire, PO Box 3194, Bellingham, WA 98227): A collection of humor,
short stories, and essays, plus a few zine reviews. Read about ropy
saliva, the recycling of 70's culture, or the tax burden of the editor.
There is a subway graphic in the centerfold for use as wallpaper,
plus many inexplicable references to tuna. (D-20t/MG)
□UNITY & STRUGGLE Vol. 1 #l-Vol. 2 #2 ($1 (?) from PO Box
1313, Newark, NJ 07101): A resolutely Communist, hardcore
Marxist-Leninist revolutionary newsletter directed at the African-
American community. These issues range from analyses of why we
can't win in the g ulf to basic theory of imperialism . (S-8t/MG)
□UNNECESSARY THINGS #1 (50[cents] in stamps from Jeff
Buddie, PO Box 5961, Buena Park, CA 90622): "A new load of
derision" turns out to be close-to-the-bone selections of the editor's
life, in which a feeling of doom surrounds it seems. Imaginative
but gloomy compositions on break-ups, strange dreams of a movie
theater, casual talks with Death, and a travel story from San
Francisco—he warns us that he's been feeling out of sorts lately and
this may be just a way to let go of the demons. Creative way of
handling melancho lia. (D-10r/CG) _
UNSETTLED Vol.2 #8 (The Usual from Donald J. Morrison,
POBox 562, Columbia Station, OH 44028-0562): Personal news, views
and reviews from Donald, who is more classically cultured than
your average zinester. He talks about some movies he's seen, some
thoughts on Rocky and Bullwinkle, and his plan for the Warner
Bros, cartoon characters to star in a production of Les Miserables, of
which he knows backwards and forwards. He also buys a lot of
videos. Friendly. (D-lOr/CG)
THE UPRIGHT OSTRICH Vol.X #3-4 ($18/yr from Peggy Poor,
POBox 11691, Milwaukee, WI 53211): Lively news and views from
conservative constitutionalists who warn readers about what the
"New World Order" might exactly mean. They look back to the
turn of the century for explanations of financial ruin by domination,
compare the 30s to the 90s, and discuss global imperialism. (S-23t/CG)
UPSTREAM Early Spring 1991 ($15/yr from the Literary Center,
PO Box 85116, Seattle, WA 98145-1116): Formerly the LITERARY
CENTER QUARTERLY, this is still a place for writers in the
Northwest to gather. This issue has several essays on what defines
an American writer, fiction excerpts, and an essay on myth and
illusion in relation to the war. They also review books and print
thoughtful letters. (S-24t/MG)
THE URBAN HERBALIST Vol. 1 #2 ($3/4 issues from Ellen
Carter, 322 E. 11th St. #3, New York, NY 10003): This one is for
city-bound herbalists (and other healers—there is a strong Wiccan
undercurrent here). This issue reviews a book on the power aspect
of the menstrual cycle and discusses where to buy herbs and learn
about them in Manhattan and environs. (S-6/MG)
UPTON TEA QUARTERLY Vol.2 #1 ($1 Sample from POBox
159, Upton, MA 01568): Combination tea fanzine and catalog. Teas
from all over the world are discussed and sold through the mail.
"Tea as a Philosophy of Life" continues in its third installment—which
details the history of the tea ceremony. (S-6t/CG)
THE URINE NATION NEWS #3 ($10/12 issues from Digit Press,
PO Box 920066, Norcross, GA 30092): This one is for people
concerned with drug testing and similar civil rights issues. This one
reprints some of the federal law dealing with DoT testing, looks at
the Newt Gingrich bill to turn the country into a police state, and
reports on some re cent overblown law enforcement actions. (S-4t/MG)
USSR NEWS BRIEF No. 1-2 1991 ($40/yr from Das Land und
Die Welt, eV, Schwanthalerstr. 73, 8000 Munchen 2, WEST
GERMANY): A newsletter which keeps an eye on the human rights
in the USSR. It reports on recent arrests, trials new and old, political
upheavals and more. They maintain as comprehensive as possible
a list of political p risoners in the USSR as well. (D -8r/MG)
□VAGINA DENT AT A/PURR VERSION ($1.50 from Box 336,
253 College St. E, Toronto, ONT, M5T 1R5, CANADA): A new zine
"for female sexual misfits unnable to adhere to any political
ideology". They've got reprinted pom from the 50s, new lesbian
stories, a patent for a "penis lacerating device", bondage and hot
poetry. Outrageou s but well done. (D-40/MG)
VAMPIRE ARCHIVES #14 ($1 (?) from 2926 W. Leland, Chicago,
IL 60625): A collection of notes about vampires in the media (and
occasionally elsewhere). They review books and movies and TV
shows, and reprint vampire notes and mentions. This issue has an
extensive list of co mics featuring vampire appeara nces. (S-18/MG)
VDT NEWS Vol. VIII #2 ($87/6 months from PO Box 1799, Grand
Central Sta., New York, NY 10163): News about the health hazards
associated with video display terminals and computer screens, mostly
focused on the radiation aspect but with attention to things like
eyestrain and carpal tunnel syndrome as well. They track both the
legal and medical side of the issues, and report on new products
reacting to research. (S-12t/MG)
VEGETARIAN VOICE Vol. 17 #4 ($18/yr Trom NAVS, PO Box
72, Dolgeville, NY 13329): The newsletter of the North American
Vegetarian Society, a group interested in promoting vegetarianism
and encouraging vegetarians. They print new recipes, follow the
latest health news, and are active in outreach and events (such as
the annual Vegeta rian Summerfest). (S-40t/MG)
□VERN-O-RAMA (Donation from Vem, 2316 Delaware Ave. #102,
Buffalo, NY 14216): Vern has decided to start putting out a
personalzine so that he may speak more freely about injustice. This
issue has a call to dump the director of the New York State Pride
Agenda and a warning about 900 numbers and your privacy. Gender
and gay issues predominate. Also enclosed was a poster almost
suggesting vigilante justice for someone who murdered a homosex¬
ual. (HL-6t/MG) __
VIDEO VULTURE Vol. 1 #3 ($2 (?) from PO Box 2160, Red
Bank, NJ 07701): A mix of violent video and violent society. The
reviews here come out in a stream of consciousness style, just short
of raving, and trash as many grody films as they recommend. There
is also a long interview with GG Allin, still in prison and as
unrehabilitated as ever. (S-30/MG)
VIRGIN FANZINE #3 (50* from John Smurfburger, PO Box 134,
Waynesville, MO 65583): A collection of clippings and little bits of
John's mail. There is an interview with Jim Matheos, bad jokes, a
bit about Judas Priest getting acquitted, and a reader survey.
(D-8r/MG)
VIRGINIA LIBERTY'Vol. 7 #2 ($10/yr from LPVA, PO Box 28263,
Richmond, VA 07701): Liber¬
tarian news and opinion
from the great state of Vir¬
ginia. They've got reports on
what the Party is up to in
that state, as well as little
snippets of Libertarian pro¬
paganda and examples of
statist silliness. (T-4t/MG)
VITAL INFORMATION
#4 ($1 (?) from PO Box
791377, New Orleans, LA
70179-1377): A collection of
obscure, underground and,
yes, vital information. This
issue takes on television,
finding a lot to complain
about in that flickering me-
SICK OF ERIC UTNE?
Then Read
Yupne Reader, the
worst of the
underground press.
Send $2.00 to:
Mirkwood, PO Box
4083, Terre Haute, IN
47804.
54
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
dium. Neat interview with the Black Spoon Gang of urban graffiti
terrorists, as well as food irradiation, "how to spot cops", and other
goodies. (D-20r/MG)
□VOICE FOR ANIMALS Vol. 3 #3-Vol. 4 #1 ($12/yr from PO
Box 120095, San Antonio, TX 78212): Newsletter of a grassroots
animal rights organization which is working on a lot of levels. These
two issues alone include pieces on the fur industry, rodeos, hunting,,
and much on vivisection. Of special note in #1 is a listing of some
outrageous statements from outfits you would expect to be
pro-animal, or at least anti-cruelty, including the Audobon Society
and Greenpeace. (S-10/MG)
□THE VOICE OF HORUS ON HORIZON #1-2 ($7/yr from
Rehmus, PO Box 190667, San Francisco, CA 94119): "The Newsletter
of the Academy of M/magic(kal/ Arts". The first issue is full of
Terrence McKenna, from his fractalized time ideas to notes on which
of his thoughts the author doesn't believe. The second is short
reprinted clippings on religion in America. (S-3/MG)
VOICES FROM SPIRIT Vol.4 #5 ($4/6 issues from PO Box 533065,
Orlando, FL 32853): A migratory spiritist zine featuring channeled
interviews from all over the hereafter. A concise definition of Magick
is given, along with conversations with the spirits of Humphrey
Bogart, Zeus, and Mary of Nazarene. There is also some commentary
on creative visualization and some short fiction by editor Rev. Gerald
Polley. (S-7r/CG) _
THE VOLUNTARYIST #49 ($15/6 issues from PO Box 1275,
Gramling, SC 29348): A zine for those who stand in opposition to
the state. This issue looks at citizenship and expatriation, and in
particular the question of renouncing US citizenship without taking
on another, something the courts in this country have not been too
keen on. A well d one issue. (S-8t/MG) _
□VORLINA VIDPUNI #1 (SASE from Rick Harrison, 2145
Oglesby Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789): The budding newsletter of
Vorlin, the latest artificial language to come down the pike. This
issue translates a short Latin text and then gives the first list of
official root words in the language. (S-4/MG) _
WAGE SLAVE WORLD NEWS Vol. 3 #3 ($12/12 issues from
PO Box 1217, Madison, WI 53701-1217): Humor in a labor-activist
vein. This one leads with a story about the plan to summon UFOs
to help get anti-scab legislation passed, since they figure this has a
better chance than trying to override a Bush veto. (S-4/MG)
WALKING-STICK NOTES #22 ($1 (?) from Cecil Curds, 4051 E.
Olive Rd. #231, Pensacola, FL 32514): A newsletter for those into
collecting and using walking sticks—which are not, as the main
article in this issue makes quite clear, the same as canes. Patents,
types of sticks, the use of sticks in gardening are all in this issue.
(S-4/MG)_
□WALLPAPER the third ($2 (?) from PO Box 20249, New York,
NY 10025): A cardstock reprint of a poster magazine from 1986 (a
fourth issue is promised soon). With the theme of photos and
conversation, its a college of pictures and scraps of writing—over¬
heard chats, missing persons pictures, analyzed arty photographs,
and much more. Something to perplex passers-b y. (S-15r/MG)
W.A.M.M. Vol. 9 #7 ($30/yr from 3255 Hennepin Ave. S,
Minneapolis, MN 55408): This is the newsletter of Women Against
Military Madness, a networking group intent on seeing peace. They
have of course been very active during the Gulf War, but there are
still valuable connec¬
tions to be made here
even in times of (rel¬
ative) peace. (S-
8t/MG)
WAR Vol. 9 #5
($20/yr from PO Box
65, Fallbrook, CA
92028): That stands
for White Aryan Re¬
sistance, the newspa¬
per of Tom Metzger
and his crew, who
admit openly to being
racist and hateful.
This issue tells their
side of the trial that
resulted in a multi¬
million dollar judgment against them, and vows to keep on fighting
regardless of these activities in the courts. (T-16t/M G)
THE WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS
Vol.9 #10-11 ($15/yr from American Educational Trust, PO Box
53062, Washington, DC 20009): A glossy magazine of generally
pro-Arab sentiment, describing in detail the events of the past months
with commentary and reflection. "Linkage" is discussed as a way
towards peace, a comparison between Palestinian professor Sari
Nusseibeh and Captain Alfred Dreyfus (a Jew in 19th century French
military), and the effects of curfews imposed on Palestinian families
in the West Bank. (S-92t/CG)
WATCH THE CLOSING DOORS! #5 ($12/6 issues from Fred
Argoff, Box 1290, 1204 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229): A zine for
the lover of mass transit systems. This one ranges from the Paris
and Miami system maps, through photos of London tube stations,
to a bus ride in the LA area. Plenty of photos and memories here.
(D-16/MG) _
THE WAWONA NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS #10 ($5/yr from
POBox 2131, Wawona, CA 95389): A community newsletter seeking
to create a closer sense of community with one another. They talk
about what's been happening in the neighborhood lately (including
the presence of a ten foot chain link "privacy" fence which has
caused quite a turmoil), from the Girl Scouts to local political
candidates and also spotlight citizens who've helped out in various
ways. (S-6t/CG) _
WE ARE THE WEIRD Vol. VII #9-15 ($35/52 issues from PO Box
2002, Dallas, TX 75221): Non-stop humor and movie commentary
from the fiercely irreverent Joe-Bob Briggs (his answer to a bomagain
subscription cancellation in #10 is a classic). #9 looks into the media
coverage of the war, en route to a review of Caged Fury. #13 includes
his recognition of fanzines as a major sociopolitical phenomenon.
(S-8t/MG) _
□WEAR WOLF #1 ($1 or trade from Wolfs Head Press, POBox
77, Sunderland, SRI 1EB ENGLAND): A diverting new perzine that
mixes its personal commentary wanderings into fantasy and spiritual
events. Lively yet a little uneven still, we discover some gossip from
the UK, a bit about Glastonbury, the "Curse of the Druid's Head,"
and some pretty i nteresting stuff about crop circle s. (D-19r/CG)
THE WEIRD NEWS #9 (SASE from Donald F. Busky, 7393 Rugby
St., Philadelphia, PA 19138-1236): Curious and silly news from a
world weirder than the one I inhabit at least some of the time. This
issue has Daryl Gates explaining that he is not a racist, plus further
details of Busky's plan for total world mail art dom ination. (S-3/MG)
WEEKLY WORLD NOOSE #3 ($1.50 CASHIStamps from 333B N.
Park, Tucson, AZ 85719): If suicide attempts are cries for help, what
are zines about suicide? Morbidly funny, in this case. Mostly ifs
about all the good reasons for killing oneself, though they also get
into such side issues as what your pets will do after you're gone.
Nasty stuff, and the sort of thing that most mothers would not
want their impressionable kids to read. (S-12t/MG)
WE THE PEOPLE #49 (Contact Michael Wolff, PO Box 704,
South Houston, TX 77587-0704): An democratically inspired apa of
political and social comment, exhausting in its scope. The range of
members falls anywhere on the political spectrum, so to list the
topics covered would be too huge a task for a simple review.
Discussions of education, sf, God, liberals, animal rights (with input
from M. Gunderloy), drug use and current dangers in crack, along
with poetic and satiric verse aimed right at the nation's political
center. (S-90/CG) __
□THE WHALE TIMES #11-14 ($1 from Greg Sax, 420 W.
Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703): This collection of essays and
other goodies has the feel of a private club. Greg seems to have
invited a batch of his friends and given them a page each. This
gets us rants about lawyers, lists of words that need to be
demasculinzed, poetry, cranky letters from one columnist to another,
and so on. Chit-chat and argument on a friendly level. (S-24/MG)
□WHO IS THE ORIGINATOR OF MY THOUGHTS Vol. 1 #1
($1.67 postage from Pastor Irrelevant, 7201 25th Ave., Adelphi, MD
20783): A government-sponsored collage of material drawn from
recruiting ads, some porno, the daily papers, and the author's own
fevered brain. There are a few letters explaining the theory of
irrelevance, and a bombardment of media images from crime to
advertising (or are they the same?). (S-35/MG)
THE WHOPEE HOLLOW GAZETTE
P.0. Box 169
Salvisa, Kentucky 40372
"Risque*’Country Humor With
A Barnyard Smell!" A Fun
Fiction Magazine! Send
$5»00/copy. Please allow
4-6 weeks delivery.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Zines
55
WHOLE EARTH REVIEW #70 ($7 from PO Box 38, Sausalito,
CA 94966): An essential magazine of reviews, ideas and articles for
those of us trying to stay positive in a wildly changing culture. This
issue has Gareth Branwyn writing about the free medicine available
from the Gesundheit Institute, Wavy Gravy chronicling his sip into
city politics as a candidate, and yours truly writing about zines.
Learn how to predict eclipses, where to buy fireman's tools, or
about a new hot sauce that's getting good press. A great resource
for the interesting person. (5-144t/MG) _
□WICKED MYSTIC Vol.2 #4 ($4.00 plus postage Sample copy
from POBox 4432, Sunnyside, NY 11104): A surprising digest of dark
fantasy, poetry and pretty ribald humor. I enjoyed the diversity
popping out of it: poems upon poems ranging from the amateur to
the progressive (a nice, if uneven mix), occult BBSs, an interview
with Cannibal Corpse, and unusual features like "The Shit List,"
which describes in detail the various examples of our bathroom
droppings—or "Revenge Made Easy," a guide to getting even. Lots
of fun if your tast es run a bit eclectic. (D-58/CG)
THE WILD FOODS FORUM Vol.2 #3 ($15/yr from Deborah
Duchon, 4 Carlisle Way, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308): A monthly
newsletter for the wild food finder and grower. A quality calendar
of events is listed for much of the country (with hikes, edible plant
walks, or even shitake mushroom cultivation!), and also plenty of
reader response. This issue also clears up much of the confusion
surrounding the yucca root. Informative and friendly. (S-8/CG)
WINGSPAN Apr. 1991 (Donation from The Advantage Group,
Inc., 11 Beach St. #4, Manchester, MA 01944): A tabloid for those
involved in the men's movement in its various facets. This issue
has an excellent article on the practice of the Talking Stick Council,
a historical look at secret societies and the needs that drive them,
and an interview with James Swan, among much other good material.
(T-16t/MG) _
WIRE Fall '90-Winter '91 ($2.00 from 2696 Summit Ave., Highland
Park, IL 60035): A double issue of one of the more experimental
litmags around. The poems and fiction included may be swimming
in untested waters but in many cases that's what makes them exciting
to read. "Fresh language," as the editors claim. Of note is Dean
Shavit's essay on the role of a poet during a war and Trudy Lewis'
short story "Centr al Air." (S-58t/CG) _
WORDBURGER! 1/29/91 ($1 <?) from Chunk o Crust, 1107
Alabama, San Francisco, CA 94110): Kind of a slapdash but
meaningful homemade zine that contrasts weird comics with typed
messages concerning the folly of the Gulf War. Separately the
contents fall a little short, but together they combine provocatively.
(D-28r/CG) _
A WORD IN EDGEWISE #1 (75* from 634 College Hwy,
Evansville, IN 47714): An open forum for essays and opinion (as
well as some poetry). This issue has some liberal opinion on the
gulf war, a piece opposing vivisection, and an article on the decline
of East St. Louis. But the editor says other views are just as welcome,
and he hopes to make this into an interesting forum. (D-20t/MG)
□WORD OF MOUTH #19 ($10/12 issues from 115 Grand St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11211-4123): An artifact from the North Brooklyn
Bohemia. This issue has discussions of gender images and a bit of
geography o selected art spaces. There is a schedule of events and
a selection of calls for work as well. (S-8t/MG)
□WORKER'S INFO RAG #8 (Donation from Zamisadat Press,
GPO Box 1255, Grade Station, New York, NY 10028): An
anti-capitalist, anti-state opinion sheet that reads like a letter to
someone unfamiliar with our economic state. It speaks fully of the
dire economic situation, points fingers at the state and figures that
things are just ab out to crumble. (S-6/CG) _
WORKS #7 (£2.50 from Dave W. Hughes, 12 Blakestones Road,
Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5UQ, UK): A zine of science fiction
which spends most of its time out on the experimental frontier—
reminiscent a bit of the early heady days of New Wave. Ian Watson
performs some surgery in this issue, Dave Thomas lends some
bizarre lyrics to the stew, and Craig Herbertson takes us into a
future of strange entertainments. Quite a lot to choose from here,
most very provoca tive. (D-50t/MG) _
THE WORLD IS FULL OF SHIT #4 ($1 from Kevin J. Lintner,
827 N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA 17603-2739 [DO NOT PUT THE
ZINE NAME ON THE ENVELOPE]): If you put the zine name on
the envelope, Kevin will promptly return it to the sender unopened.
But it's worth checking out anyway, especially with the demise
ofCLIPOPHILIA. It has much the same feel, and these aren't random
clippings, no way. Kevin either has some bones to pick or he's
pretty disgusted with what we read in the news and carefully selects
a bunch from mainstream papers for our amusement/repellence.
Kittens with two heads, parents spying on their teenage children,
condom earrings are only a few of the assorted stories to be found
here. (S-8r/CG) _
THE WORLD OF FANDOM MAGAZINE Vol. 12 #2 ($12/4 issues
from PO Box 9421, Tampa, FL 33604): "Fandom" in this case is a
broad term, covering everything from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
to Judas Priest, Edward Scissorhands to an interview with Roger
Corman. They do movie and comic news, and review independent
video as well as big-name movies. Something for all manner of
media fans here. ( S-64t/MG) __
WORLD PERSPECTIVES Vol. 2 #3-4 ($19/12 issues from PO Box
3074, Madison, WI 53704): World news as monitored from the
shortwave bands, thus giving points of view ranging from that of
Radio Sweden International to that of Radio Beijing. Much of #3 is
focused on the war in Iraq, in an attempt to give a broader picture
than most US media sources seem capable of. #4 covers many other
stories, as well as continuing postwar problems in the Mideast.
(HL-32t/MG) _
WORLD WAR II REVIEW #6-7 ($20/6 issues CASH/MO only from
Broadhead Publishing, Broadhead, Castleshaw, Delph, Oldham OK3
5LZ, ENGLAND): A collection of material about die second world
war and the men who fought in it. #6 includes first-hand recollections
of the sinking of the Royal Oak at Scapa Flow, a review of a new
book on Hitler's Barbarossa campaign, and more. They also list
reunions and review the occasional veterans' newsletter. #7 reviews
several books about the war and contains memories of another naval *
battle. (A4-16t/MG)_ —
' WORM #20 ($10/12 issues from 115 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY
11211-4123): An unusual zine combining art and technology with
discussions of each: Techno-Romanticism is talked about with
well-explained justification for the computer artist as artiste. Also
reviews of recent art shows and the sociology of men/women looking
at each other on t he train. (s-7/CG) __
WOULD YOU BELIEVE? #36 ($3.25 from WYB Publications, HC
80 Box 156, Marshall, AR 72650): A zine of far-out Forteana. There
is speculation here on UFOs, a bit of writing by Shaver, underground
passages in Washington DC, the veracity of the Philadelphia
Experiment, and a challenge to modern physics. The editor reprints
stuff from all over , most quite fantastic. (S-25/MG)
WRESTLING CHATTERBOX Feb.-Mar. 1991 ($2 from Georgiann
Makropoulos, 23-44 30th Dr., Astoria, NY 11102-3252): A wrestling
newsletter that really feels friendly and fannish, enjoying the sport
while still critiquing it when need be. February has a look at famous
managers of the past, notes on upcoming matches, and a few more
photos of Georgiann with pro wrestlers. More managers and a reader
survey grace the March issue. (S-28/MG) _
WRESTLING OBSERVER NEWLETTER 3/4/91-4/15/91 ($5/4 issues
from PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228): The standard news
source for the world of professional wrestling. Dave Meltzer puts
this out without frills, but he packs it full of match results, letters
from readers, and inside news. 4/1 includes the facts and figures
on the recent Wrestlemania and Starrcade shows. Weird Japanese
wrestling gossip is the main feature of the April 15 ed ition. (S-lOr/MG)
WRESTLING PERSPECTIVE Vol. II #1 ($1 from PO Box 401,
Camillus, NY 13031-0401): A wrestling zine which avoids the usual
match reportage and gossip, preferring instead to prevent longer
essays. This issue considers the state of the WWF, the exploitation
of the war within wrestling, and the proposal in New York state
to deregulate the i ndustry. (S-8t/MG) _
WRESTLING THEN & NOW #15 ($1.25 from Evan Ginzburg,
PO Box 471, Oakland Gardens Sta., Flushing, NY 11364): A wrestling
zine which looks back at the classic wrestlers and matches of the
past decades. This issue starts off with a lengthy interview with
John Tolos, and re prints some older bits on him. (S-10/MG)
WRITE ON Feb.-Apr. 1991 ($10/yr from Writers Resource Center
of Toledo, PO Box 2945, Toledo, OH 43606): A newsletter for writers,
focused mainly on those in the Toledo area, as they hold open
readings and other events. They also give, out a bit of market news
and encourage writers to get involved with one another. The April
56
Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
issue pays tribute to the recently-deceased Etheridge Knight.
(S-6t/MG) 6
XCURRZIONS #13 (99tf from Jane Poe, 515 Ashbury St., San
Francisco, CA 94117): A collection of literary material of puzzling
antecedents. There are short comics, what seem to be dreams,
drawings, surrealism, and hopeful-looking bugs. Something to scratch
your head over. ( D- 16/MG) _
XENOFILE #9 ($6/4 issues from Con-Version, PO Box 1088, Stn.
M, Calgary, AB, T2P 2K9, CANADA): A Canadian SF zine which
has gradually expanded from being the newsletter for a particular
convention to being a country-wide newszine. There are short bits
here from all over, plus a report on SF-related stamps, book reviews,
nasty words about Piers Anthony, and the 1991 Aurora Award
nominations. (S-26t/MG)
XIZQUIL #4 ($3.50 from Uncle River, Unit 79, Box 8, Arenas
Valley, NM 88022): A litzine which presents mainly fantasy in a
no-frills setting. There's a nice short piece from Harry Willson in
this issue, some sword and sorcery from Patricia Shaw Mathews
and Michael McKe nny, and much more. (D-58r/MG )
X MAGAZINE #2 ($1.50 CASH from 800 W. Madison, Phoenix,
AZ 85007): A magazine which is part of the alternative scene in
Arizona, which is apparently still pretty slow. There is a humorous
notice for those who exceed the terms of their artistic license, an
interview with percussionist Peter Ragan, and a talk with an artist
who goes in for surrealism and so has had to build her own support
system. (HL-16t/MG)
YHOS #50 (Contact Art Widner, 231 Courtney Boat, Orinda,
CA 94563): An apa-like sfanzine that touches on some marginal
aspects of fandom and horror. There's a enlightening discussion
about current horror films and how movies like Henry: Portrait of a
Serial Killer resensitize us to violence, what's happening in fandom
these days, and a poignant essay by veteran fan Ray Nelson about
"Postmod" and his feelings on the "world of tomorrow." Lots more
in this lively volume. (HL-46r/CG)
□YIPPIE KI YAY, MOTHERFUCKER ("The Fannish Usual" from
Terry Frost, 12/18 Robe St., St. Kilda, 3182 AUSTRALIA): Lively
personal sfanzine that covers a lot of the real world, too. Terry
rambles on about things that strike his fancy, and it's fun to read.
He loves Hunter S. Thompson, is trying to get Mel Torme to appear
at a future con, wonders at the brilliance of putting a chain smoker
on a space ship (it really happened), talks about Orson Scott Card
and generally kee ps his mind and his readers acti ve. (S-10/CG)
YLEM Vol. 11 #2 ($30/yr from PO Box 749, Orinda, CA 94563):
A magazine for artists interested in using technology, notably
computers, in their work. There are fractals and biomorphs here,
notes of shows and events, and creativity exploring new paths.
David Durlach writes of "affectionate technology" in this issue.
(S-lOt/MG) _ _
YOUTH CONNECTION Vol. 5 #1 ($5 student or $10 ,other/5
issues from 3910 Nara Dr., Florissant, MO 63033): The newsletter
of the Libertarian Student Network, promoters of individualism at
the college level. This issue starts out with a review of a new LSN
publication in Great Britain, and then reprints various polemics from
Terry Inman. (S-6t/MG)
□YOUTH GREEN'S FORUM #1-2 ($1 (?) from c/o Eugene, 67
North Union, Burlington, VT
05401): A new broadsheet
from a group of young Green
anarchists up north. A spirited
bunch, they talk about organ¬
izing, Earth Day, and some
suppression and censorship in
the area. One high school
student was denied the right
to speak out against the war
in his school (and ultimately
pushed aside), another had his
skateboard confiscated by a
policeman on a city street. An
ambitious and determined
group. (L-2/CG)
YOUTH LIB ZINE #5 ($2
from Syndicat des Eleves, 2035
Boul. St-Laurent, Montreal,
z vx
A REVIEW OF INNOVATIVE FICTION
IN THE SMALL PRESS. Send .29e
in post&ge for a sample copy to:
ZYX
58-09 205th St.
BAYSIDE, N.Y. 11364
QUE, H2X 2T3, CANADA): A networking zine for those interested
in youth liberation, mainly consisting of reprinted stories from all
over. The editor seems to not be having any luck in his quest for
youth to take this one over, and has announced this as the next
to the last issue. ( 5-18r/MG) _
□YUPNE READER #0 ($2 from Joe Lane, PO Box 4083, Terre
Haute, IN 47804): This UTNE READER parody is probably a
one-shot, not least because of its actionable nature. It picks heavily
on Generic Yupne for moneygrubbing and bandwagon hopping, and
contains the annual Worst of the Underground Press awards as well
as a letter frmo the publisher of FAXSHEET JIVE. Amusing though
a bit slim. (D-16/MG)_
□ZEDNOSH #VI (Contact Joshua Norek, 84 Carstead Dr.,
Slingerlands, NY 12159): A high school underground that went
"aboveground" this year, possibly making it one of the only H.S.
undergounds to do so. It's mostly a satire of the music biz, with
quotes and stories about what happened to the B-52s during the
war, or to David Bowie during a safari, and the like. There is a
cute story on how bad The New Kids... are, but I suspect that if
word got around to most of the celebrities "quoted," they wouldn't
take to it kindly. ( S-6/CG) _
□ZEKE & SURF #1 (50tf from G. Stomberg, 303 S. 5th St.,
Oregon, IL 61061): A small zine of varied opinions. There is a pieces
on consciousness expansion and the teachings of Jesus, another
suggesting that the LAPD may have had good reasons for beating
up Rodney King, and a few music reviews. (M-8/ MG)
ZOIKS! #9 ($1.50 from PO Box 33561, Raleigh, NC 27636): This
litmag deserves some sort of prize for publishing Joe Corey Ill's
"Hershey Habitrail", a story of gerbiling as told from the point of
view of the gerbil—I just can't think for the life of me what might
be appropriate. The rest of the stories and comics here, while also
beyond the edge, are nowhere near as bizarre. A sick puppy indeed.
(HL-36t/MG)
THE ZONE #2 ($5/6 issues from 6085 Venice Blvd. #82, Los
Angeles, CA 90034): The newsletter of the Los Angeles branch of
the Cacophony Society, those crazy urban jesters and event hatchers.
This issue tells how to crash the LA Times employee cafeteria and
announces plans to disrupt a UFO conference and hold a "Suicide
Note Writing Wor kshop". (S-2t/MG) _
ZOOMAR #2 ($2 from Barbara Jarvis, PO Box 6920, Alexandria,
VA 22306): A movie zine that concentrates on a lot of fun stuff
instead of just the latest buckets of blood (though there are some
of those too). This issue has a page on the Gidget flicks, a look at
the career of Chris Jones (including the classic Wild in the Streets)
and an overview of the current burgeoning interest in Bettie Page.
(S-16t/MG)
ONE WORE TIME:
TtllS IS YOUR
Tvte is YOUR
BRUIN ON
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music Zines
57
1/1 Vol. 6 #4 ($4 from Just Intonation Network, 535 Stevenson
St., San Francisco, CA 94103): A newsletter for those interested in
seriously exploring the idea of music based on perfect whole number
ratios between notes. This issue is mainly consumed by a score
from Erling Wold, together with explanation of what he was trying
to do. (S-16t/MG) _
□50/50 FANZINE #1 ($1 from Scrods, N112 W20903 Mequon Rd.,
Germantown, WI 53022): A dually edited punk zine with interviews
and political opinions. Interviews with 10-96, The Smart Boys,
Dishpan Hands and Bug (a five year old media unknown), plus
some fanzine and music reviews. There's also commentary on the
recent "sin" taxes employed by the government and a scary look
at the future when we'll all have to drink beer in our closets.
(D-32r/CG) _
□7 AARDVARKS FOR ALICE (25* from Fido von Sydo, Anarchy
University PO Box 3082, Portsmouth, NH 03801): The beginnings of
an Alice Cooper fan club, this single sheeter is all about why and
how Alice is so wonderful. (S-2/MG)
□ABCESS #1 ($1.00 plus postage from Ben Davis, 104 Willowdell,
Toccoa, GA 30577): A new punkzine with a political conscience.
Right off the bat are reprints of excerpts from American Athiests,
Inc. and its dealings with the religious George Bush—and a press
release regarding Pressure Drop Press and its financial straits. Later
on there are interviews with Sockeye, Unborn-SF, Celibate Com¬
mandos, and record and zine reviews. A fine start. (D-20r/CG)
THE AFFILIATE Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($25/yr from Peter Riden, 777
Barb Rd., RR #1, Vankleek Hill, Ont., K0B 1R0, CANADA): A
combination of music and social activism in a colorful package. Peter
is putting together grassroots people who are interested in everything
from alternative rock to cleaning up the planet, hosting events at
his Grand Barn, and publishing their words here. A real family feel
is developing. (S-3 6t/MG) _
ALTERNATIVE PRESS #35 ($4 from 1451 W. 112th St., Cleveland,
OH 44102): A slick pro-looking job that tackles new music, from
the darlings down to some relative unknowns. Skinny Puppy, Dead
Can Dance and Algebra Suicide encourage thinking them as oriented
towards the big-breaking stories. But then how do you explain the
presence of cool folks like More Fiends and Azalia Snail? Overall
very good coverage, with cute little touches like asking the bands
to come up with t op ten lists in this issue. (Q-76t /MG)
THE ALTERNATIVE VOICE ($1 CASH/Stamps from PO Box
25125, Tempe, AZ 85285-5125): A small collection of reviews and
other goodies. There is musical opinion on the war, a tour schedule
for Saliva Tree, a letter from tentatively, a convenience and free
classifieds. A free baseball card is included with every issue.
(D-8t/MG) _
□AMERICAN LUTHERIE #24 ($8 from
Guild of American Luthiers, 8222 S. Park Ave.,
Tacoma, WA 98408): A "luthier" is someone
who makes stringed instruments, and that is
exactly what this one is about. There are
how-to articles (on everything from making
lutes to cutting down the right tree to start
with), lots of discussion of workshop tips, and
even blueprints. A lot of love obviously goes
into this one. (S-64t/MG)
AMOK #13 ($3 from Corey von Vielliez,
Trisstrasse 19, 6700 Ludwigshagen, GER¬
MANY): Except for a few short bits, this
hardcore zine is all in German. They feature
a few cartoons and what looks like political
stuff, but the base is still interviews and photos
of sweaty young men in dark nightclubs.
Slapshot, Accused, Nocturnus, Oi Polloi and
Israelvis are among the attractions in this issue.
(A4-68t/MG)
..,AND I FEEL LIKE AN ALARM CLOCK
#9 ($1 CASH/Stamps from Allen Salyer, PO
Box 1551, Royal Oak, MI 48068): A fanzine
for those who love Throwing Muses (and
related bands such as the Pixies or the
Breeders). This issue has a review of their
current album, plus fascinating early history
including two demo tapes that I didn't even
know about before. (D-28r/MG)
ANOTHER PAIR OF SHOES #5 ($1.50 from PO Box 300031,
Minneapolis, MN 55403): Most of this zine is taken up by two
interviews, a music-related one with Babes in Toyland and a longer
talk about vegetarianism with John Simcox. There are also reviews
of cool records an d zines. (D-32r/MG) _
THE ATHENS RECORD Vol. 2 #1 ($2 from 330 Clover St.,
Athens, GA 30606): Though this one focuses primarily on R.E.M.
(with plenty to say now that the new record is out), they also cover
some other Southern new music. This time that includes the
Chickasaw Mud Puppies as well as Michelle Malone and Drag the
River. Hot stuff. ( S-16t/MG) _
□AUSTRALASIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY DIRECTORY Jan. 1991
($25 from Immedia!, 3 Rose St., Chippendale NSW 2008, AUS¬
TRALIA): A fat perfectbound twice-yearly guide to the music industry
in Australia and the nearby Asian countries (including Japan,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and more). They list addresses and
phone numbers, plus short info, for everything—artists, managers,
freelance journalists, photographers, record stores, studios, books,
videos and plenty more. A wealth of information on the music scene
in the South Pacific. (S-184t/MG)
AUTOGRAPHS FOR THE SICK Vol. II #3 (50* from Scott Russell,
PO Box 111, Wilmore, KY 40290-0111): A zine of Christian music
and commentary. This one opens by talking about the war, but
from a perspective I didn't see anywhere else—St. Augustine's
writings on the "just war". There are also, of course, plenty of
music reviews and an interview with Ramald Domkus. (S-8r/MG)
BACTERIA OF DECAY #7 ($1.25 from Curt, 63 Lennox Ave.,
Buffalo, NY 14226): A hardcore zine that seems to be still increasing
its scope and concerns. ■- --
There are editorials and qq *
opinion columns on things | 55
like overpopulation, the / or ^
war, and the problems with I issues
jobs. For music, try inter- [□$1.50
views with Agnostic Front .f ora
and Against All, plus plenty l ga le
of live and recorded music | __ ,
reviews. They say they're ‘-'Make
looking for a good distribu- I checks
tor, by the way. (D-28r/MG) | payable
□BAD-SMELLIN ARM- ito
PIT CRUST #1 ($1 (?) from '“Jerry
Sal Manilla, 810 Pine Cone lN u tter”
Ln., Colonia Heights, VA i
23834): A new music zine •- -1
Do you know there are
yuppies willing to blow $3,000 on a
preamp? We sent Uncle Eric to the High-
End Audi o exhibi t at the Consumer Elec¬
tronics Show to do some investigative
reporting. What he saw made him sick:
He saw speakers made of granite and
others camouflaged to look like granite!
And lots of gullible yuppies. Just when
Eric was about to pull out his Beretta...
AUDIO
CARP^TORIUM
111-32 1 12th St., D<*pt. FF
SOP, NY 11420-102B
58
Music Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
which interviews such marginal groups as Chicken Catchatory (in
which the publisher just happens to play). Collages, silliness, a
memorial page to Leo Fender. (D-12/MG)
BANZAI #55 ($1 (?) from PO Box 7522, Overland Park, KS 66207):
Back after a short break with a new standard-sized look, this zine
of hard rock and heavy metal in the heartland continues to add
polish. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Death Angel are among the
bands here, along with local news and classifieds. (S-32t/MG)
BEATLEFAN Vol. 12 #6/Vol. 13 #1 ($4.50 from The Goody Press,
PO Box 33515, Decatur, GA 30033): A double issue of this fanzine
devoted entirely to the Beatles, with coverage of both their past
careers and current activities. This is a double issue, with coverage
of the tail end of the McCartney tour plus some critical evaluations
of John Lennon's work in music and film. Also includes plenty of
reviews, and their reviewers don't hesitate to dismiss bad bootlegs.
(S-56t/MG) _
BLAHBLAHBLAH Vol. 3 #4-5 ($1 (?) from KRUX 91.5 FM, Box
30001, NMSU, Las Cruces, NM 88003-0001): Fun combination playlist
and music zine the New Mexico State University. #4 has Soul
Asylum, #5 Naked Raygun, and both contain entertaining editorials
on the state of our culture. #4 also has a French-language literary
insert for some re ason. (T-4t/MG) _
BLITZ #326-333 (90$00 each plus IRCs? from Blitz, Rua Sacadura
Cabral, 26, Dafundo, 1495 Lisbon, PORTUGAL): Another pile of
issues from this weekly music tabloid out of Portugal and in
Portuguese. Each issue is full of information on the Anglo-American
pop rock world, as well as ample forays into Iberian, underground,
and other music that is not globally mainstream. These issues cover
David Lee Roth, rap, the trouble with Sinead, Mao Morta, and all
kinds of other performers. In the middle of March, BLITZ reports
tha BAN'S "Rosa Flor" was the number one song in Portugal, George
Michael's "Freedom" having fallen to the second spot. (T-28/Reviewed
by Geof Huth)
BLONDIE FANZINE Vol. 3 #7 ($1 from Robert S. Robbins, 1997
Misner Rd., Williamsport, PA 17701): A zine for the really dedicated
Debbie Harry fan. How dedicated? Well, the main feature in #7 is
an interview with her father, and the interviewer hangs on his every
word. They also publish computer-scanned graphics of Debbie.
(S-6/MG) _
□BLUES ACCESS #5 ($10/4 issues from 1514 North St., Boulder,
CO 80304): Yup, a music zine devoted entirely to the blues. This
issue has a piece looking back at Robert Johnson, as well as more
contemporary artists like Quint Davis, Marva Wright and Wild Child.
They even tackle the age-old question of whether white boys can
play the blues, and review a batch of records and b ooks. (S-28t/MG)
BORDER CROSSINGS #25 (2.00 from Mary Ann O'Brien, PO
Box 5173, North Bergen, NJ 07047): Irish rock and Celtic life are
explored in this zine that's getting more diverse with each issue.
There are also more contributors these days, with articles on U2,
Cocteau Twins, pe npals, folklore, and political pris oners. (S-19r/CG)
BOSTON ROCK #111 ($15/10 issues from T. Lozaw, PO Box
371, New Town Branch, Boston, MA 02258): Music and other stuff
from one of the hip cities. This issue has a focus on the spoken
(and written) word, with Lydia Lunch, Jello Biafra, and the Primal
Plunge bookstore. They also talk to and about Indigo Girl, Concrete
Blonde, Gear Daddies, Anatasia Screamed, and other cutting edge
bands. (T-20t/MG) _
□BRAINLESS CHILD #5 (Contact Kelvin Shearman, 43
Featherston St., Levin, NEW ZEALAND): Crowded hardcore music
zine that pays more attention to local NZ music that's ignored by
the big guns. Interviews with Das Unter Mensch, Anigma, Freak
Power and more. Reviews of indy music and demos plus news of
what's going on i n and around Melbourne. (A4-20 r/CG)
BRITISH PUNK COLLECTOR #7 ($3 from David Thompson,
6420 Galley Ct., Colorado Springs, CO 80915): A zine that looks
back at the early (late 70's) days of punk, with feature articles,
discographies, and reproduced bits of rarities. Bands featured in this
issue include Pink Fairies, Subway Sect, Adam Ant and Chelsea.
(S-20t/MG) _
WANTED:.
words on music
The San Diego Reader, an
alternative newsweekly with a
readership of 503,000, seeks
200 words or less on:
A
& new releases
& local scene reports
& trends
e books on music
& concert reviews
0 any and all obscure and/or
disturbing aspects of music
culture
$25 and a tear sheet. To be eligible
for consideration, your .work must be
typed or legibly handwritten and
include your name and mailing
address. Send, as soon as possible,
your offerings to: -
:□
’Zine Envy
San Diego Reader
PO. Box 85803
San Diego, CA 92186
We're looking for highly
idiosyncratic submissions of
While informal, unusual language is
acceptable, lack of originality or
clarity is not. For each submission
we choose to print, we’ll send you —
No submissions will be returned. Payment
will be mailed within 2-3 weeks after
publication.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music Zines
59
BULLPRESS #6-8 ($1 from 249-2 Edwards St., Binghamton, NY
13901-1119): A very punk looking zine that's as likely to throw in
a list of companies to boycott or a picture of Maggie Thatcher with
a swastika on her forehead as anything else. #6 has the Voodoo
Love Gods, #7 Akademy Shred. Plenty of short opinions, reviews,
photos too. #8 is an all review issue, with zines, records and movies
all tumbling over one another. (P-44/MG) _
BUZZ #64-65 ($1 from PO Box 3111, Albany, NY 12203): Yes,
Virginia, there is new music in Upstate New York. A big chunk of
#64 has the annual program guide from SUNY's WCDB. Other
features include Fugazi and the Toasters, plus reviews of records
local and national. #65 is the official guide for the Albany New
Music Expo, a fle dgling annual event. (S-36t/MG)
CATHARSIS ($2 from POBox 3181, Suffolk, VA 23434): Always
stimulating music news and views and a good departure from the
mainstream. They talk about the local scene as well as the national
one, sporting interviews when they can (this month it's Trent Resnor
from Nine Inch Nails) and occasionally dipping into non-music
waters, such as Brian Greene's look at the life of the late writer
Carson McCullers. Juicy. (T-15t/CG) _
CD REVIEW DIGEST Vol.4 #3 ($79/yr from The Peri Press,
POBox 348, Voorheesville, NY 12186-0348): An immense compilation
and guide to all music recorded on compact discs. This is the "Jazz,
Popular, Etc." edition (they also have a classical
edition), with hundreds and hundreds of CD
listings and accompanying information like
reviews, availability, and artist inclusion. Of
inestimable value to any CD collector or any
music listener at all, it's hog heaven for any
reference nut like myself. (S-204t/CG)
CERTO #4 ($1 from 60 Castleknock Rd.,
Toronto, ONT, M5N 2J7, CANADA): This one
is primarily a contact list, though there are a
few reviews as well. They list Canadian
alternative rock and counter-cultural projects,
and give contact info and a brief idea of what
they're into. (S-8r/MG)
CLOT Vol. 2 #10 ($2 from PO Box 818343,
Denver, CO 80248): Heavy music coverage from
the Denver area, full of loud stuff that almost
comes through the paper—as in the interview
with Slayer, not a band of a lot of aesthetic
depth on paper. There's good coverage in this
issue of a renewed draft and more stupidity
on the drug war front, plus Nine Inch Nails,
Napalm Death, and outrageous letters. (T-
28t/MG)
CLOWNY TRIX #1 ($1 from PO Box 903,
Madison, WI 53701-0903): The most depressing part of this zine is
the story of Heartcore Productions, an indie promo outfit that got
wiped out and roughed up when DOA decided to be assholes about
a poor-drawing show. More fun is the consumer guide to OTC
highs, and the reviews. Also some wild collage political stuff here.
(HL-36r/MG) _
COMETBUS #25 ($1 from Lookout, PO Box 11374, Berkeley, CA
94701): A wild punk romp, with lots of things here besides music.
Weird interviews, a Green Day tour diary, ways to annoy businesses
who have wronged you and more. Aaron has been in the small
publishing biz for a long time now, and has developed a real
following and a great editorial manner. Always a few surprises here.
(D-36/MG) _
□CRANK #1 ($1 from 108 Lexington Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23188):
New music zine with interviews with Super Chunk, Helmet, Solomon
Grundy/Purple Outside and more. Also lots of reviews that are
well-written and show a deep appreciation for music in general (the
Anti-Group, Beat Happening, Girl Trouble) (S-23/C G)
CURIOUS GOODS #4 ($2.25 from Jerry Rutherford, 3754 Almond
Dr., Oxnard, CA 93030): A vast collection of interviews from the
heavy metal and hard rock end of the music scene, put together
out near where I grew up. The lineup this issue includes Prong,
Oliver Magnum, Two-Bit Thief, Scatterbrain, Hexx and many more.
They also review about a ton of records, and lots of live shows.
(S-58r/MG) _
THE CUTTING EDGE #84-85 ($1.00 from Dan Kennedy, 8303
Hilton Way, Orlando, FL 32810): A Christian music-based zine of
reviews and current concerts with what looks like a pretty good
following, stemming probably from the consistency and loyalty to
their subject. Their "Annals of the Underground" column always
has news of music and future dates; #84 has an interview with
Michael Sweet of Stryper; #85 has some reflections on life from
Charlie Peacock. ( S-12t/CG) _
DECONTROL #10 (Free from PO Box 404, Duluth, GA
30136-0404): Crash Rats is still at it, writing about the local music
scene and whatever else. This issue has a non-interview with The
Commonwealth, the obligatory zine and music reviews, and a story
of trying to comm unicate with a normal person. ( D-12/MG)
DIFFERENT DRUMMER #8 ($1.75 from Erin Hooper, 3331 Quartz
Lane D4, Fullerton, CA 92631): A Christian music zine that covers
a lot of ground. Loads of music reviews and looks at particular
bands, but there's also some fiction, zine reviews, poetry, essays
and an article about the meaning of money in relation to a certain
cathedral. Seems to be getting more of an audience lately.
(HL-25r/CG) _
DIRTY LINEN #33 ($5 from PO Box 66600, Baltimore, MD
21239-6600): The well-polished zine of folk rock, electric folk, world
music and similar genres. This issue, coming out for April, has some
sly humor (including 33 1/3 reasons why LPs
are better than CDs) in addition to the usual
news and features. Kate & Anna McGarrigle,
3 Mustaphas 3 and John Hammond all come
in for major press in this one. (S-78t/MG)
DISCORDER Mar. 1991 ($15/12 issues from
#233-6138 SUB Blvd., Vancouver, BC V6T 2A5,
CANADA): Vancouver is fortunate in having
cool radio station CITR in town, to play the
latest and greatest and print this cool tabloid
of music and other culture. This issue has an
interview-by-FAX with Henry Rollins, the
Screaming Trees, Meat Beat Manifesto, and ...
Alex Trebek? Plus of course all the latest
goings-on in the local music scene. (T-32t/MG)
DRASTIC SOLUTIONS #4 ($2.25 from 2
Embro Dr., Downsview, ONT, M3H 2M8,
CANADA): A punk zine with a heavy-duty
political emphasis, which they see as a natural
extension of the music. Besides talks with Oi
Polloi, Bliss and Fuel, this issue has articles
on Palestinian rights, the native struggles in
Canada, and overseas dumping of toxic waste.
(S-40t/MG)
EAR OF CORN #16-17 (2 stamps from
Dave, PO Box 2143, Stow, OH 44224): A simple music zine that's
been going for quite a while now, pulling together punks and other
rockers and concentrating on the home taping end of things. #16
features Hallucination Repairmen and Bent, while #17 has a 40 Dog
interview. They also print weird comics, a Polish scene report, and
anti-draft material. (D-20r/MG) _
EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER FANZINE FOR THE COM¬
MON MAN #6 ($3.00 single issue from David Terralavoro, 43 Spring
St., Wappingers Falls, NY 12590): This issue concentrates primarily
on Greg Lake, but there are notes and news and discographies
included on the rest. The Nice makes an appearance, as well as
some CD listings of Asia, Atomic Rooster, and King Crimson (among
many others). This one seems to be picking up some speed these
days, with their in clusion inTHE SAN DIEGO RE APER. (S-12/CG)
FEEDBACK #4 ($1.50 from Gabriel Gutierrez, 1982 Scenic Cit.,
Hollister, CA 95023): A punk zine that includes an 8-song flexi (a
sampler of Vital Music bands). They've also got interviews with
Dissent and Breakdown, a batch of columns, and a story that reflects
poorly on Bad Religion. Toss in comics, poetry, reviews and a feature
on how to make your own zine and you'll have most of the picture.
(S-32r/MG) __
FILE 13 #9 ($2 from Mark Lo, POBox 175, Concord, MA 01742):
Scores of indy music reviews from industrial rock to rap—topped
with a "keen double interview" of Pain Teens and Zeni Geva, meaty
editorials, "crummy summer" story, and over all an attitude that
stays level-headed and intelligent amongst many o thers. (S-43r/CG)
60
Music Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
FLAGPOLE Vol. 5 #9-11 ($14/6 months from PO Box 1027, Athens,
GA 30603): Music and entertainment news (plus a smattering of
other material) from one of the South's hotbeds. They report on
touring bands as well as local talent, review movies, and generally
seem to have fun. #11 includes a talk with Michael Stipe about his
work in producing other people's music. (S-32t/MG )
□FLIMSY LIMO ZINE (25* from Sondra London, 8825 Roswell
Rd. #474, Atlanta, GA 30350): "The Truth in Jazz for Twenty Five
Cents", this one is entirely song lyrics. They tend to be
semi-distressed, looks at life that isn't quite making it. Great title.
(S-4t/MG)
FLIPSIDE #71 ($2 from PO Box 363, Whittier, CA 90608): This
one is still going strong, mixing punk with whatever other new and
interesting music catches their ears. A sample: Helmet, Born Against,
Killing Joke, Skinny Puppy and Accused, all in this issue. There's
also an interview with Mike Hoy from Loompanics, music reviews,
and a wild letters section. (S-88t/MG) _
FONORAMA #6 (3 IRCs sample copy from POBox 114, 31-829,
Krakow 31, POLAND): A catalog of record collections, discographies,
licensed releases and birthdays of recording artists. It's entirely in
Polish except for the band or artist names. Filled with old and new
titles. (D-48/CG) _
FOSTER CHILD #7 ($2 CASH from 7635 Marcy Ct., Glen Bumie,
MD 21060): This music zine is expanding again, adding more features
to the growing list of reviews. This issue has interviews with Date
Bait and Barbed Wire Dolls, as well as plenty of zine reviews.
Mention FF and you'll get a trinket with your copy, while supplies
last—I got a plasti c skeleton. (S-20r/MG) _
FREE THOUGHT #4 ($1.25 from Eric Smith, 5219 Wyoming Rd.,
Bethesda, MD 20816): A music zine with a clean layout and well-done
two-color printing. Besides, I have to like anything where I get
interviewed, right? Also on the menu are Dave and the Rave, ^Man
Lifting Banner, and Commonwealth, plus a long talk with Anfi
Forfreedom about witchcraft. (S-48t/MG) _
GODSEND #16 ($1.50 from Todd Zachritz, 1401 Fuquay Rd.,
Evansville, IN 47715): A music zine that goes in for the harsher,
more aggressive sounds. This issue has interviews with Illusion of
Safety, A1 Margolis, and Alien Sex Fiend. There are also plenty of
reviews, plus gross out short stories from Gregory Ny man. (S-20r/MG)
GOTHIC #3 ($1.50 CASH from 13 Chippewa Tr., Browns Mills
NJ 08015-6466): A music zine that manages a batch of interviews of
bands not seen everywhere: Antischism, Media Children, Reaction
and Road Whore make it into this issue. There's also a page of 800
numbers of companies doing animal research and plenty of short
reviews. (S-36r/MG)_
GRINCH ZINE #2 ($1 Stamps from 2 Knox Terr., Totowa, NJ
07512): This music zine bops back and forth from reviews to
interviews to opinion pieces on everything from college sports to
racism on television. They talk to Bad Religion and Lemot^heads
and Cringer, provide a flag to burn and matches to burn it with,
and try to ask something other than the same old questions.
(D-72/MG)_
□GRROEI #1 (f2.50 from Madoekastraat 12 B, g715, Groningen,
HOLLAND): A new music zine with a most imaginative cover design.
The zine itself is cased in a paper jock strap which slides off for
decoration, I guess. The insides are entirely in Dutch, but I know
it contains interviews with Afghan Whigs, Disgrace, Mother, Victims
Family and others. There's also a little pocket-sized zine included,
with reviews in b oth English and Dutch. Original. (HL-32r/CG)
THE HAPPY THRASHER #13 ($1.50 CASH from Tin-Ear, PO
Box 2246, Anaheim, CA 92814): A music zine which also spends a
lot of time on revolutionary politics, with snippets about bomb-mak¬
ing and clippings from mainstream papers with unsubtle commentary
added. On the aural side, there are a batch of reviews, and some
interchange in the letters column. Strong plugs for veganism here
as well. (S-24r/MG)
HARD COPY #2 ($1 from 1337 Chew St., 1st FL, Allentown,
PA 18102): The main feature of this music zine is the second part
of the transcription of a debate between Henry Rollins and Jack
Thompson—the latter being the attorney who went after 2 Live
Crew down in Florida. There are also a batch of short reviews and
some stark poetry from Trent Reinsmith. (S-13r/MG)
HARTBEAT! #9-11 ($4.00 surface mail/$6.00 air mail from
Moselstr.2, 2948 Schortens 1, GERMANY): An English-written,
intercontinentally co-edited music zine of the most eclectic tastes.
Truly, these guys go for anyone from Elvis Costello to D.O.A. to
Manfred Mann and back again. But you won't find most of them
in here. Mostly indie bands: The Other Side, Clints, TreaTment, The
Great Big Kisses, and lots and lots of reviews which number so
high that the print gets tinier and tinier. Also, with each issue comes
a free flexidisc with, for example. Jasmine Love Bomb, Dead Moon
and La Secta, and Great Big Kisses. (A4-62r/CG)
HEROINA #1 (Trades from Drazen Krsnik, Heinselova 20, 41000
Zagreb, YUGOSLAVIA): A fat and colorful music zine, with oversize
pages and plenty of photos. They do cover some Western acts, but
from cover boy Gobac on they are focused mainly on native
Yugoslavian music. A very trendy feel here, of people discovering
fashion for the first time. Krsnik is also interested in swapping zines,
tapes, records or whatever. (Q-44t/MG) _
HOT SPIT #2 ($2 from Bill Smith, PO Box 2106, Rancho Cordova,
CA 95741): Well, it;s been a year since the first issue, but this is
one snazzy little music zine. Inside you get John Lurie, Tad, Volcano
Suns, a report on the new music from Japan, and Mecca Normal.
There's also the requisite reviews of cool music, with the college
rock axis best represented. (S-40t/MG)
□HOUSE BANDS Vol. 1 #5 ($3 from Cyndee Thompson, 4228
Chesford Rd., Columbus, OH 43224): A zine for bands from all over
the US, mainly unsigned, but the sort with strong local followings.
They tend towards metal and hard rock, and print photos along
with short interviews and demo reviews. Looks like a good way to
keep an eye out for the next big thing. (S-15/MG)
HYPE #4 ($1 from 137 E. Houston #4, New York, NY 10002):
Music and fashion from the outlaw trend frontiers in Nevtf York
City. This issue has Skinny Puppy, Dead Can Dance, and Julee
Cruise as musical mainstays. There are comics from Siobhan and
L.V. Abbema, bizarre films, and photos from an anti-art opening as
well. (S-40t/MG) _
INCITE! #19 ($1 from Tim Alborn, PO Box 649, Cambridge,
MA 02238): After some intro about life, the universe, and his
academic career, Tim turns this into wall-to-wall record reviews. He
likes a lot of nice alternative stuff, and concentrates on giving good
reviews to worthwhile material. Beat Happening, The Dentists,
Brenda Kahn, Agitpop and Crayon are among the goodies here.
(D-16t/MG) _
INCREDIBLE SHRINKING FANZINE #3 ($2 from The Shrinking
Launderette, 28 Howe Park, Edinburgh, EH10 7HF, SCOTLAND):
A music zine with a batch of interviews and a selection of fanzine
and record reviews. For the talk size, the strangest is certainly
Bearded Weirdo. They also offer words of wisdom from the Didjits,
Goober Patrol, the Dirty Reds and Rectify. (A4-24r/MG)
THE INSIDER #19 ($5/6 issues from TOG/Teo Graca, PO Box
4542, Arlington, VA 22204): A music zine devoted to local music—but
they'd be happy the hear what is going on in your locality as well
as their own. This issue has an interview with a morning radio
personality, plus a batch of music reviews. (D-12t/MG)
INTENSITY #3 ($3.00 ppd from John Book, 2502 W. Opal St.,
Pasco, WA 99301-3352): Getting fatter all the time, John's reviews
and interviews maintain a responsive view of assorted musical
genres. This issue there are interviews with Comb, Tad, Game For
Vultures, Cannibal Corpse and more. Also lots of indy reviews from
hardcore to rap, from demos to labels. (S-36r/CG)
KDVS PROGRAM GUIDE Winter 1991 ($1 (?) from 14 Lower
Freeborn Hall, Davis, CA 95616): The program guide from the
UC-Davis student radio station, this one has more than the usual
listing of shows. They are also active in fighting censorship in all
media, providing a guide for newcomers to town, and promoting
the publication of more zines for a richer environment. (T-16t/MG)
□KLAUSNER #2 ($1.50 from Kai Damkowski, Biernatzkistrassa
16, 2000 Hamburg 50, WEST GERMANY): A German-language
(except for a weird surreal comic) music zine. They've got Happy
Flowers, concert coverage, cassette reviews, and various essays.
(A4-32r/MG) _
KOAN #2 ($1 (?) from PO Box 18278, Washington, DC
20036-8278): Music, along with a few other things; this issue has an
article on virtual reality and a story that transports Karen Finley to
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music Zines
61
Gandhi's India. They interview Borox Orgy and review some local
death metal shows . (S-16t/MG) _
LAST DAZE #4 ($2 (?) from Gina Lawson, 126 Benziger Ave.,
Staten Island, NY 10301): A fat zine of music mainly from the NY
area, and in the punk to hardcore to metal arena. Strong Impact,
Biohazard, Patterns and Dmize areamong the bands covered. Gina
finds space for a live show or two, rants about the high price of
CDs and reviews a batch of zines too. (S-50/MG)
LEVIATHAN #1 ($2 from Isa & Sean, PO Box 365, Canal St.
Sta., New York, NY 10013-0365): A highly politically-charged zine
of hardcore, metal and other loud music. In addition to interviews
with folks like Bom Against, Mindrot, and Neurosis, they've got
pieces on the dangers of smoking, anti-war graphics, and a couple
pages of anarcha-feminism. The interview content is also more
political than usual . (S-54t/MG) _
□LINTFIT #1 ($4 from Deb Disaster, PO Box 460346, San
Francisco, CA 94146): A new punk zine devoted to the only form
of vinyl that still seems to be increasing in popularity, the 7" record.
They're so devoted that this comes with a compilation EP, including
Christ on a Crutch, Cringer, Libido Boyz and Lupo. Inside each
band gets a couple of pages, and Deb reviews yet more records.
(S-16t & EP/MG) _
THE LOUIE REPORT #4 ($5/yr from PO Box 2430, Santa Clara,
CA 95055-2430): A zine that focuses entirely on one rock and roll
song: the immortal "Louie Louie". They report Louie news from all
over the country, and are hard at work on a documentary about
the song and its e nduring meaning. Amazing. (S-8 t/MG)
MARCHING FOR TRASH #2 ($1.35 from Rich, 20-21 Utopia
Parkway, Whitestone, NY 11357): This is a music zine with more,
notably the punk culture and the life Rich leads. The editorials and
ensuing articles deal a lot with anger, confusion and music. Honestly,
it's tough going in here, mostly due to a lot of its handwritten
nature. Worth a lo ok. (D-31r/CG) _
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL Mar.-Apr. 1991 ($2.50 from PO Box
288, Berkeley, CA 94701): Still a punk music zine even if there seem
to be more pages about the war in this issue than anything else.
There are interviews with folks like Flag of Democracy and Mindrot,
tons of letters, columns, record reviews (no more tapes), world
news, scene reports, book reviews and more. The closest thing the
punks have to a newspaper of record. (S-128t/MG)
MEAN STREETS Vol. II #7-8 ($15/12 issues from PO Box 55039,
Riverside, CA 92517): A hrd rock tabloid for the area east of Los
Angeles, fondly known as the Inland Empire. They've got Anthrax
and Daniel Ash here, along with Tad, GBH, Killing Joke and plenty
more. Classifieds, a page of literary output and music industry
opinion columns are all part of the mix. (T-32t/MG)
MERLIN'S MUSIC BOX #6 ($5 (?) from Yiannis Kastanaras,
Argiroupoleos 27, Athens 114 71, GREECE): A Greek-language music
zine with a good batch of color pages in the center, dressed up
with people like Lunachix. Other bands here include Danzig,
Charlatans, and Henry Rollins. They review zines and music too.
(A4-80t/MG) _
METAL CURSE #4 ($2 from PO Box 302, Elkhart, IN 46515-0302):
A zine which finds the terms "profane" and "obscene" to be
compliments, this one of course is firmly into metal of all types.
They do an especially good job of reviewing a variety of demos
from new bands, worth cruising to guess who might make it big.
Interviews with Sadus, Obituary and Sepultura grace the pages of
this issue. (S-30/MG)_
THE METRO #80 ($1 (?) from Metropolis Communications, PO
Box 24486, Nashville, TN, 37202): Music coverage in a Nashville
freebie, with gossip about hot new bands from all over the country.
This issue includes King's X and The Sisters of Mercy, as well as
Keith Gordon's column on the Craig Neidorf computer hacking bust.
(T-24t/MG) _
MILK #2 ($2 & 2 stamps from Michael Martinez, 1405 NE Portland
Blvd, Portland, OR 97211): A music zine with lots of collages and
otherwise strange artwork, plus things like the surreal story "An
Owl in the Holy Land Eats a Snake". L7, STP, Big Damn Crazy
Weight and Elepha nt are here, along with a pile of re views. (S-32/MG)
MOUTH Feb. 1991 (75* postage from PO Box 2069, Decatur, GA
30030): Downsized for the recession, but still with the careful and
distinctive page layout that makes it stand out, MOUTH is a music
zine for the south. L7 and Lunachicks get the most ink in this issue,
along with Atlanta bizarros King-Kill/33. They also do shows, tapes,
records and more, with some dismissive commentary in this issue
about Milli Vanilli. (S-16t/MG) _
MUSIC FROM THE LEDGE Vol. 1 #4-5 ($3.50 from The Tinks
Ink, PO Box 9284, Wilmington, DE 19809-9998): This one is oriented
mainly towards metal and the local scene, but it branches out well
beyond that. One nice thing they do is spotlight a bunch of local
unsigned talent, regardless of genre. They also do stuff on national
acts (Violence in #4, Reverend in #5) and publish music-related
artwork. (S-32t/MG)_
MUSIC SCENE Mar. 1991 ($1 (?) from PO Box 4661, Annapolis,
MD 21403): Two years old and still going strong, this one reports
on music from the Maryland shore and thereabouts. Mary
Blankemeier is the lead artist in this issue, a local musician who
has become reasonable successful and done a lot for the homeless.
They also feature lots of club and calendar listings . (S-32t/MG)
NADINE Vol. 7 #3-5 ($5/yr from
2365 Yale Sta^, New Haven, CT 06520):
Music and other culture from around
the Yale campus. They do a great job
of going beyond reviews; #3, for
example, has a "seminar" multi-author
section on whether rock critics are
worthless or what. #4 is a "War is
Stupid" issue, while #5 brings in an
industrial section and (believe it or not)
an interview with the Village People.
Lots of fun. (T-12t/MG)
NEW FUNK TIMES #6 ($3.70 from
Funkateers International, Ehrenstrasse
19, W-5000 Koeln 1, GERMANY): A
fanzine devoted to George Clinton,
Parliament Funkadelic, and the various
related groups and musicians. This
issue has a great story about Clinton's
early days of working in a barbershop,
complete with photos of him giving
someone a "do". There's an interview
with Bootsy Collins and one with Bernie
Worrell too. (A4-16t/MG)
THE NEW MUSIC SCENE Apr.
1991 (50* from Gloria Sheehan, PO Box
10775, Stamford, CT 06904): News and
views on the state of music. Indeed,
this issue has a State of New Music
address as well as a chunk of video
reviews, and of course band features.
For the latter, try the Posies and Vala
Cupp. (S-14t/MG)
THE NEWSLETTER Vol. 4 #6-7
($10/12 issues from PO Box 93237,
Milwaukee, WI 53203): Music coverage from Milwaukee, both the
locals and others passing through. They tend to find innovative acts
rather than critical darlings, with #6 featuring the Nerve Twins and
The Lost Toothbrushes. They also do a feature on the 10th
anniversary of a local alternative radio station. F.S. Camels are the
big story in #7. (S -12t/MG) _
NO EXTERNAL COMPULSION #4 (SASE or trade from Criterion
T., 102 E. Gorham, Madison, WI 53703): This one still features an
overall punk attitude, although much of it is about subjects other
than music. The best bet in this issue is the interview with Lainie
about her work with Oyster Publications. Criterion also prints lots
of zine reviews, m usic and some anti-war editorial izing. (S-12r/MG)
THE NOISE #104 ($10/yr from 74 Jamaica St , J.P., Boston, MA
02130): Rock music zine for the Boston area with special inclusions
now and again. There's more tips on how to run a fanzine during
the recession, "In Search of Scene" column, articles on the 360's
and Atom Said, and a truly novel lead-off column by the Flange
Sisters that's a combination gossip/scene/music news/tidbit section.
(S-20/CG) _
NO SCENE ANYWHERE #3 (SASE from Bill Burg, 7453 Evening
Way, Citrus Hts, CA 95621): Well, there is music coverage here, in
fact quite a bit of it, including the last of Bill's Areata scene reports
J
62
Music Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
(that's where he just moved from). There are also notes on where
to get good coffee and places to smoke to annoy the maximum
number of non-smokers. Lots of zine reviews in this issue. In fact,
there's more musi c feel than actual music articles. (D-12t/MG)
THE NOTE ($14.95/12 issues from 735.5 New Hampshire,
Lawrence, KS 66044): Music, arts and entertainment for the
Lawrence/KC area. This issue concentrates on the "feel" of the sixties
ands looks back at what was happening at the birth of the
midwestem rock and roll scene. Also good coverage of jazz and
new music, and c oncert/show listings. (T-23t/CG)
NOTE 4 NOTE #8 ($6/4 issues from Steve Roeser, 2646 1/2 Griffith
Park Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039): A zine of alternative and
mainstream rock, from Dylan to the iconoclastic Zoogz Rift (who
takes up much of this issue, having recently renounced all of his
past records. Steve reports on records, concerts, and whatever else
catches his ear. (S-8/MG)
OPTION #37 ($4 from 2345 Westwood Blvd. #2, Los Angeles,
CA 90064): An indie music zine that goes from Brian Eno on the
cover and Marianne Faithfull inside to the likes of the Hafler Trio
and polka madman Guy Klucevsek. They are thoroughly eclectic,
looking for good music in all settings, and review a selection of
new releases (mostly on vinyl and CD) in the back. Good coverage
of selected industry trends too, all in a glossy format with some
color. (S-130t/MG)_
THE OUTER SHELL Vol.63 (On Request from 9807 61st Lane
N., Pinellas Park, FL 34666*3131): A music broadsheet that covers
only select subjects, but very well. They interview Agony Column
on one side and on the other delve into the history of censorship
in music (pre-2 Live Crew) which such example as Jerry Lee Lewis,
Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and Hank Ballard. Good coverage and
material. (S-2r/CG)
OX #8 (5 DM. from Joachim Hiller, Joseph-Boismard-Weg 5, 4300
Essen 14, GERMANY): A German-language hardcore zine which'
includes in this issue a hard-vinyl 7" from Neanderthal. They
interview Bullet Lavolta, Citizens Arrest, Saint Vitus, and Necracedia,
as well as the good folks out at Vinyl Communications and
HIPPYCORE zine. (A4-56r/MG) _
PARTY FEARS #13 ($11/ air or $7 surface for 6 issues from
David Gerard, 17 Simper St., Wembley 6014, Western Australia,
AUSTRALIA): A music zine which covers the Australian scene in
excruciating fine print; tons of material here from both Perth and
Brisbane. There is an incredible family tree of early 80's Perth bands,
an interview with Healers, a talk with Greasy Pop records and of
course reviews an d letters. (A4-16t/MG) _
POINT BLANK #3 (50* from PO Box 114, Mt. Orab, OH 45154):
A combined music and anarchist zine. They've got an interview
with Asbestos Death and reviews. They've also got a look at prejudice
and fascism (including an article about the beliefs of the Five Percent
Nation of Islam), direct action, vegetarian recipes, and more.
(HL-20r/MG) _
POISON PLANET #3 ($3 from Ty, 711 1/2 E. Grove, Bloomington,
IN 61701): A fat zine of punk and similar music. Ty listens to a
hell of a lot and apparently reviews it all (over 230 reviews in this
issue), along with shows, zines, and other stuff. There are interviews
with Mindrot, Resist, Paradise Lost, Agathocles and about a dozen
other bands too. (S-70r/MG)_
POSITIVELY ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING Vol. 15 #3
($18/yr from Crooked Arrow Publishing Co., PO Box 16009, Portland,
OR 97216): Dining, dancing and listening in the Portland, Oregon
area. They cover all the local clubs, with the emphasis on light
music, jazz, folk and so on, not rock or punk. Plenty of schedules
and short reviews. (T-16t/MG)
PUDDLEZINE #5 ($1 from PO Box 11374, Berkeley, CA 94701):
I guess you could call this a music zine, since the scene seems to
be close to its heart. But most of the contents are about life on the
edges, where to go, how to live in a forest, that sort of thing. There
are comics, complaints about tightassed parents, skateboarding and
more. (S-32/MG) _
PUNCTURE #21 ($10/4 issues from 1592 Union St. #431, San
Francisco, CA 94123): A fat and classy music zine that manages to
put together stories on a lot of renowned indie bands. This issue
has Kitchens of Distinction, Popinjays, Einsturzende Neubaten, Meat
Puppets, Boiled in lead and plenty more. Book, record and show
reviews and an X- Tal tour diary also show up he re. (S-66t/MG)
PUNK AND DESTROY #8 ($1.25 from Dave Alvord, 1410 NW
Lancashire Ct., Beaverton, OR 97006): Well, Dave proves that almost
anyone can have a zine, even without much to say. He gives his
opinions on a few bits of recorded music, reports on the local scene,
chats about life—a nd instant zine results. (S-7/MG)
PUNK PALS #15-16 (2 stamps from PO Box 13391, Berkeley, CA
94701): A punk-oriented pen pals zine. People who send for it are
welcome to put in their own ads, listing favorite bands, age, contact
address or whatever. Quite a few people are using this service, and
they also maintain a list of other zines offering free penpal listings.
(D-20r/MG)
RADICALLY SAVED MAGAZINE Vol. 2 #8 ($2 from Tyler
Bacon, PO Box 9590, Murfreesboro, TN 37132): A Christian Metal
zine, featuring plenty of interviews as well as news of new releases,
videos, and so on. This issue has Stryper, Guardian, Trouble and
Dez Dickerson, pl us a back-page editorial on fellow ship. (S-21t/MG)
RAGING SMOLDER Apr.-July 1990 ($1 (?) from 1012 Forest Hills
Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403): A music tabloid printed on large
untrimmed sheets, and including a fair new
age presence. The April issue has the George
Jessup Band, while July does Byrd A Co,
vegetarianism, and Raisin Brain. An interest¬
ing mix of the noisy and the mystic.
(S-16t/MG)
□RAGNAROK #1-3 (75[cents] from
POBox 29274, Clevleland, OH 44129): A new
admission from the Cleveland scene, the
editor starts off by ranting about the audience
participation levels of local shows. It goes on
to interview Chas Smith, reviews live shows
(Jim Carroll, Nine Inch Nails, Helmet), review
some vinyl, and includes a humorously
pathetic story entitled "My Suicide." #3 has
a discussion of college radio stations and some
cool fiction by Mike Hudson. It gets better
as it goes along. (HL-16r/CG)
RAISING HELL #23 (30p & postage from
Box 32, 52 Call Lane, Leeds, West Yorks, LSI
6DT, ENGLAND): A music zine with a heavy
anarcho-political presence, which shows up
(among other places) in an extensive letters
section. This issue has an interview with the
folks from Polish zine QQRYQ, some squats
in Europe, Anarcrust, So Much Hate and
more. Tons of record and zine reviews and
a list of poll tax prisoners too. (D-44r/MG)
IT'S HERE J
QUADRA-COLOR
For newspapers, inserts, brochures
newsletters, books, magazines
If you’re serious
about
color,
CALL US: (518) 459-8455
WORLD PRINTING 1104 CENTRAL AVE. ALBANY N Y 12205
WORLD
PRINTING
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music Zines
63
□RAPBAG #2 ($1 from 101 Northcreek Blvd. Box 454, Goodletts-
ville, TN 37072): A new music zine that seems to be mostly interested
in the musicians themselves. They've been exploring the topic of
why it's hard to get people to a club show in Nashville, for example.
This issue features Gilly Elkins and Tentu, and has an amusing
glossary for musicians. (S-16t/MG)
REAL LIFE #35-36 ($10/yr from Debi Dip, 6520 Selma Avenue,
#332, Los Angeles, CA 90028): Music and strangeness combine here,
with the strangeness not being all that strange, don't get scared
away. There's a longish interview with the Electric Ferrets, some
weird anecdotes about animal uprisings in 1850 and a man who's
had a cold since 1964, Stubo the Cat with no paws, some reviews,
a neat-o flexi-disc sampler and the ever-famous Wall of Hairdew.
Lots o' character. (S-39/CG) _
REGGAE DIRECTORY Vol. 3 #1 ($1 from PO Box 18115,
Cleveland, OH 44118): A guide to reggae and related music, not
just in the Cleveland area but all over. The main feature in this
issue is a profile of several reggae journalists. Of course they also
write about the m usic and the culture surrounding it. (T-12t/MG)
RITUALS & DOGMA Vol. 1 #4 ($10/yr from WAMC, PO Box
20201, Wichita, KS 67208-1201): The tabloid paper of the Wichita
Area Music Coalition, a group trying to unify the local music scene.
This issue has reviews, partying, the local student station, and more.
(T-4t/MG) _
ROCK AROUND THE WORLD Mar. 1991 ($2 from PO Box
40684, Portland, OR 97240): This one is a nifty idea. It's core is a
listing of hundreds of indie bands, from Afghan Whigs to Zuzu's
Petals, with their tour schedules, by band and by city. They also
do interviews and with the March issue has started a series on the
trials of being an indie record label. (S-40t/MG)
ROLLIN UNDER #23 (T.Th 17590, 54009 Thessalonika, GREECE):
A Greek-language music zine in a large format. Sometimes it gets
off into other matters—there is an article on Raymond Chandler in
this issue, plus what looks like a feature on some Greek horror
movie. My Bloody Valentine and David Thomas are among the
names I recognize here. (Q-48t/MG) _
SATAN ON A STICK #2 ($1.75 from PO Box 6387, Annapolis,
MD 21401-0381): Guess we'll call this a music zine, since the biggest
chunk of it is an interview with a taciturn Henry Rollins. They also
review records, though the record companies probably won't be
pleased with their casual blow-off dialogues/ There are also weird
short stories, dangerous graphics and semi-psychotic ranting.
(HL-24r/MG) _
SAUDADE #3 ($5 from Hamish Ironside, Gothic Cottage, High
Street, South Moreton, Onon OX11 9AD, UK): A thick music zine
that gets into all sorts of odd comers. Here Hamish has discovered
the literary small press, and so he's reviewing poetry zines in hopes
of effecting some crosspollination. There are plenty of reviews, talks
with Ivor Cutler and Silverfish, a nice page on FF (thanks!), comic
art, plenty to cho ose from. (D-94r/MG) _
SECONDS #13 ($3 from PO Box 2553, Stuyvesant Sta., New
York, NY 10009): Music coverage in a combination interview/story
format, which ranges all over the musical map: from Megadeth to
Donny Osmond in this issue. Other offerings include Urban Dance
Squad, Dwarves, Kim Fowley, Ruby Starr, and Uncle Tupelo.
(T-38t/MG) _
SENSURED #14-16 ($2 from 3560 Temple Ave. Dept. H221,
Pomona, CA 91768): A zine for aficionados of house music, sudden
guerrilla underground dance clubs in Los Angeles, and so on. Plenty
of gossip, computerized photos, news of who's hot and where to
go. A service zine for an unusual community. (M -28t/MG)
SHREDDING MATERIAL MAGAZINE #3 ($3 from 2515 Bidle
Rd., Middletown, MD 21769): Inside this music zine you'll find
interviews with HR, Naked Raygun, Jawbox and more. They also
feature a bunch of reviews, and ask their readers to comment on
the war. Plus this issue comes with a high-quality tape comp
including Jabbemowl, Cry Back the Dying, Resistors, The Fifth
Column and Sanit y Assassins. (D-30t/MG) _
SKULL SESSION #20 ($2 from Brad Mitchell, 3187 Keynes Ct.,
Mississauga, ONT, L5N 2Z7, CANADA): A bit of controversy stalks
the pages of this issue, as various folks argue over whether a
previous column on Native Peoples was racist. Fortunately the airing
of views is for the most part thoughtful and polite. Meanwhile,
there are plenty of reviews, interviews with Five Foot Nothing,
Phleg Camp and more, and a hard-vinyl hardcore EP from Subverse
included in this is sue. (S-32 & EP/MG) _
SLUG & LETTUCE #20 (SASE or 2 IRCs from Christine, PO Box
2067, Peter Stuyvesant Sta., New York, NY 1000): This grassroots
music zine is still growing. Chris prints band photos, reviews of
music and zines (more all the time) and free classifieds (include
SASE if you want a copy of the issue with your ad). Up to 2000
copies, now four pages long, and looking good. ( T-4t/MG)
□SNOT RAG #1-2 ($2.00 ppd from Karl, PO Box 1330,
Hagersville, Ontario, N0A 1H0 CANADA): A brandy new punk zine
with a humble beat and a good attitude. The first issue has interviews
with the U.K. Subs, Problem Children, Dryrot and more, plus tries
out a fair number of zine and vinyl reviews. #2 is looking better,
with additions of a NY Scene report, interviews with One Blood,
The Narx, [JERSEY BEAT] editor Jim Testa and more. It's always a
good thing to hea r new voices like this. (S-29r/CG )
THE SOBRIETY ROADBLOCK NEWS ($8.50/yr from PO Box
1506 GMF, Boston, MA 02205-1506): The latest edition of the
chameleon-named zine of the Alternative Rock SIG of MENSA. They
have fun saying nasty things about Menudo, reviewing recent
releases, and talking about music industry gossip. Subscribers are
encouraged to contribute. Art Milano reviews the award-winning
music of 1990 in t his issue. (D-16t/MG) __
SOUND SEEN #12-13 ($1.00 each from 410 S. Busey #2, Urbana,
IL 61801): A very well-done zine of music and culture in the Urbana
area, mainly for college students, but also going beyond that. Besides
the Urbana scene reports, there are plenty of other goodies inside,
including a discussion of British beers. New York City clubs and
cafes, the apathy of the staff, the monotony of college, interviews,
and the differences and similarities of Acid and Indie music. A really
fine effort. (S-19t/CG)_
□THE SOURCE #19-20 ($19.95/12 issues from 594 Broadway, New
York, NY 10012): "The Magazine of Hip-Hop Culture, Music Sc
Politics", this one is a fat and slick monthly with lots and lots of
music in it. There's a fascinating roundtable on Hip-Hop and Islam
in #19, along with tons of reviews. The Large Professor, doing
business in the m usic world and lots more. (S-64t /MG)
SPACEBALL RICOCHET #12 ($12/12 issues from PO Box 71294,
Milwaukee, WI 53211): A music and culture zine with quite a mix
of features, between these covers you can visit with Positive Force
DC, listen to Wild Kingdom or Groove Diggers, and sit in on a
Monday night poetry cafe. Nice use of art and photos to make the
zine more of an a rtistic item itself. (S-32t/MG)
SPILLED GUTS #6 (50* from Chris Wagner, 12 White Oak Way,
Trenton, NJ 08618): Your
basic music zine, mostly
reviews. Chris is into
Bad Religion, Sotial Dis¬
tortion, Lunachicks, and
Sick of It All, to name a
few. A mix of live and
recorded music. (S-
6/MG)
SPINAL REMAINS
#5 (75* from 1661 Con¬
necticut Dr., Redwood
City, CA 94061): A music
zine that leads off with
a couple of columns,
including Dave Schall on
why not to go to war,
and Dan railing about
his mail being screwed
with. Interviews with
Functional Idiots, Nu¬
clear Death and Disrupt,
plus a batch of reviews.
(D-20r/MG)
SPIRAL SCRATCH
#8-9 (£24/6 issues from 6
Chapel Street, Cam¬
bridge, CB4 1DY, UK):
A nice zine for those
64
Music Zines
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
interested in new music, with a slant towards the serious record
collector—their "A-Z of New Wave" listings are gradually providing
complete discographies for many artists. #8 features The Godfathers,
Radio Stars and The Undertones. #9 has Front 242 and Primal
Scream. They also review lots of records and fanzines. (A4-64t/MG)
SPOTLIGHT #79-81 ($6/12 issues from PO Box 63423, St. Louis,
MO 63163): Local music news and entertainment in the St. Louis
area. They cover a calendar of events, talk to and listen to 3 Merry
Widows, Pat Coil, live shows (Indigo Girls, Duya Duya), present
the 4th Annual St. Louis Music Contest Winners, and also offer
classified ads for musicians and bands. (T-15t/CG)
SPUN #64-65 ($1 from Doug Chapel Comics, 2 Shirley St. #3,
Worcester, MA 01610): Doug's music zine continues to get better,
with more reviews and features in each issue. He's not all that fond
of hype, and hands out bad reviews liberally, to people like The
Trouble With Larr y and the Divinyls in #64. (D-28 t/MG)
STARK REALITY #2-3 ($1 from Zak, 1206 Monroe Ave., S.
Milwaukee, WI 53172): A music zine, mostly, although there are
pages of things like ways to outwit worry and ways to answer the
phone. Best interview in #2 is with Nausea; they also talk to the
Offspring. A short story, some poetry, some opinion pieces and
reviews are packed in too. #3 has an interview with Thanatopsis
and a page of cof fee reviews. (D-28r/MG) _
STATEN ISLAND ROCK COALITION MEMBER UPDATE Vol.
2 #3-4 ($1 (?) from PO Box 060672, Staten Island, NY 10306):
Newsletter of a group of bands on (where else?) Staten Island.
They're working on promoting a cooperative CD, and have plenty
of contact info an d energy for bands in their area . (S-6t/MG)
STEPPINGSTONE Apr. 1991 ($15/yr from Baby Faze Productions,
PO Box 4264, San Francisco, CA 94101): A music zine that lets
people publicize themselves relatively inexpensively. This issue has
The Secret Team, more listings of bands out on Baby Faze, and
continuing publicit y for the Bluelights campaign. ( S-28t/MG)
STRAIGHT OUT #8 ($2 from 7103 Oakwood Glen. #15, Spring,
TX 77379): A music zine with a heavy-duty commitment to animal
rights—so much so that vegetarianism and related topics take up as
much space as music. There's a talk with Shelter (with snide editorial
comments added later—hardly sporting), and a veggie forum
featuring some intolerant vegetarians. The hardcore intolerant side
of being nice to animals. (HL-36/MG)
STRANGE DAMAGE #6 ($2 (?) from 366 Gridley Ct., San Jose,
CA 95127): A punk zine with a layout that reminds me a bit of
SICK TEEN, with stuff going every which a way. There's an
interview with publisher Joe Franke and one with Happy Flowers,
lots of reviews, pages of things that rule and that suck, and more.
Also includes a jou rnal of the editor's cross-country trip. (D-48r/MG)
SUBURBAN VOICE #30 ($3.50 from A1 Quint, PO Box 1605,
Lynn, MA 01903): Another fine issue of this perennially-fine music
zine, this one with an American Standard/Crucial Youth hard-vinyl
45 enclosed. They've got a Poison Idea tour diary plus talks with
Living Colour, Thee Hypnotics, Jawbox and one of my favorites.
Handsome Dick Manitoba. Plus their reviewers, unlike some of us,
aren't afraid to sa y so if something is overrated. (S-64t & 45/MG)
□SUDDEN APATHY #2 (Contact P.R. Jenner, 16 Muswell Hill
Rd., London N6 5UG, ENGLAND): The issue that arrived is two
years old, so better check before you send any money. It's a punk
version of those British tabloids taking stabs at modern culture and
music. There's an almost interview with one of the Stranglers, a
real interview with Blackie Lawless and some nasty bits about dead
Marilyn (for sham e!), a living sofa, Elvis, etc etc. (D-18r/CG)
□SUPERDOPE #1 ($1.50 from 520 Frederick St. Box 33, San
Francisco, CA 94117): A new music zine concentrating on unsigned
and indie bands. Cover boys on this issue are Oaw Hammer; inside,
there is major ink for Sonic's Rendezvous Band, Radio Birdmen,
and more. Hus of course they review a bunch of records and all
the live shows yo u can shake a stick at. (S-24t/MG )
SWELLSVILLE #12 ($2.50 from Jack Thompson, PO Box 85334,
Seattle, WA 98145): Jack continues to collect some of the hippest
and most argumentative observers of the underground music scene,
giving them free rein in their own pages to comment. There's
material here from Cheryl Cline, Fred Mills, Chuck Eddy, Herb Jue,
Freddy the Bastard,and lots more. A never-ending op/ed page of
music. (S-49/MG)
TECHNOLOGY WORKS #6 ($1 or 4 stamps from PO Box 477,
Placentia, CA 92670-0477): A zine that focuses in on industrial music,
as well as the new wave of harder sounding, technified dance music.
This one has Skinny Puppy, Severed Heads, Frontline Assembly,
and a whole passle of reviews, plus a feature on just where some
of those samples come from. (D~20t/MG)
TEXAS BEAT Vol. 2 #3-4 ($20/12 issues from PO Box 4429,
Austin, TX 78765): The Texas music scene from top to bottom: dance
clubs, live shows (Darden Smith in #4), an interview with Ty Tabor
of King's X, and a column on the studio activities in four major
cities in Texas. There's also (in #3) a compilation of critic's best list
for 1990. (S-23t/CG)_
□THROWRUG #1 ($1 (?) from 4089 Squalicum Lake Rd.,
Bellingham, WA 98226): A new zine from the Seattle area that sticks
to interviewing local bands. This issue has The Meek, Capping Day,
Skinyard, and Hammerbox, plus some blindfold record reviews.
(D-16r/MG) _
THRUST #5-6 ($30/10 issues from 252 Cathcart St., Ottawa, ONT,
KIN 5C3, CANADA): Well, I don't know many music zines with a
sports section, but THRUST seems determined to break a few rules.
They concentrate on new music from industrial to dance, with a
high-tech layout and cool color graphics on the cover. Plenty of live
reviews, short stories. Alien Sex Fiend, insert artwork and calendars.
(S-40t/MG) _
TOMMY #102 (IRCs from Mauro Missana, Via Umberto I, 146,
33034 Fagagna (Udiine), ITALY): Italian-language rock coverage in a
consistent package. This issue has Pankow, Road to Ruin, Outsiders,
Tribal Bops, Negazione, Flor De Mai and a great many more, as
well as a news roundup and reviews. (A4-40/MG)
TRACTION #2 ($2 from PO Box 71033, Milwaukee, WI 53211):
A music zine that breaks some boundaries in its choice of subjects,
spreading out over underground culture in general. This issue
includes an interview with three guys who do guerrilla' tattoo-work,
as well as Chris Boarts from SLUG & LETTUCE zine. Then there
are Babes in Toyland, Doc Corbin Dart, Feck and other bands.
Bonuses include half a page of deadhead jokes and well-done book
and zine reviews. (S-54r/MG) _
TRUANT #4 ($3 & 2 stamps from PO Box 42185, Memphis, TN
38104): If you're slow, you might only get the 8-song flexi; the zine
is an extra with the first 500 copies. All the bands here come from
the South: Trusty, Sobering Consequences, Pezz, Econochrist, the
Numbskulz. Lots of great hardcore music with backup interviews,
multi-colored printi ng and a neat comb binding. (S -40t & FL/MG)
TRUST #27 ($6 air/$4 surface [no checks] from Dolf Hermannstad-
ter jun., Salzmanstrasse 53, 8900 Augsburg, WEST GERMANY):
Plenty of photo action here, with all the hardcore bands these clever
Germans can track down. They write exclusively in German, but
the lineup is still understandable: Poison Idea, Charlys War,
Leatherface, and Bad Yodelers are among the attractions in this
issue. Plenty of re views, of zines and music, as w ell. (A4-60r/MG)
TV EYE #11 (IRCs from PO Box 17562, 54009 Salonika, GREECE):
A Greek-language music zine in large-page format. They cover a
mix of American and other groups, ranging from John Cale to Blue
Aeroplanes to Eno to Sonic Youth. (0-8r/MG)
U.K. RESIST #4 ($2 from PO Box 244A, Surbiton, Surrey, KT5
9LU, UK): A music zine that maintains the political orientation
associated with early punk—upset and determined to change the
world. This issue has an interview with Chumbawamba and a feature
article on Ice Cube (thanks to the obvious similarities between punk
& rap). There's also a flexi with songs from the Blaggers and
Trenchfever. (A4-32t/MG)
UNBROKEN CHAIN Vol. 6 #1 ($5/3 issues from PO Box 8726,
Richmond, VA 23226): This one is for Deadheads, and it follows
them and the band around the country. Set lists and news coverage
of the band are a big part of it, but there is also much material
devoted to helping build a sense of community, from letters to
pictures of person alized license plates. (5-16t/MG)
UNDER THE VOLCANO #1 ($2 from PO Box 236, Neconset,
NY 11767): Formerly WATCHING SISTER VOMIT, this one is
growing and getting more polished with its name change. The main
feature in #1 is an interview with Sick of It All, who manage to
be quite articulate. There's also poetry, an advice column, and a
pile of reviews. (S-16t/MG)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music Zines
65
□UNIVIBES #1 ($10 check to C. Glebbek or cash via registered
mail ONLY from Coppeen, Enniskeane, Co. Cork, REPUBLIC OF
IRELAND): A new Hendrix zine from three fanatical collectors who
between them have extensive archives of written, audio and
photographic material. They concentrate here on reviews of new
material, but also have chats with those who knew Jimi, bits of
memorabilia, history and more. You can get a promo flyer for 1
IRC. (D-24t/MG)
VICIOUS HIPPIES FROM PANDA HELL #11 ($1 from PO Box
34, Portland, OR 97207): Always colorful (literally) music zine from
the Northwest. This issue has a bit more editorializing and
commentary than usual, with the Pre-and-Post Gulf War issue being
the key topic. It's talked about rationally. There's also a list of things
to do when you are unemployed and lots of music news and notes.
The reviewing styl e is down-to-earth and friendly. (D-20/CG)
VICTORY REVIEW Vol.16 #2 ($15/yr membership from PO Box
7515, Bonney Lake, WA 98390): Jazz and fol coverage for the musician
and listener alike. They sport a songwriter's column, review music
and even the songwriters, check out kids music, carry a calendar
of events and even advise their readers on paying taxes. Full and
informative. (S-26r/ CG) _
VOODOO CHILD #23 ($1 (?) from Jimi Hendrix Information
Management Institute, PO Box 374, Des Plaines, IL 60016): Interest
in Jimi Hendrix remains high—indeed, right at the moment he is
on the cover of SPIN—and this zine is for his fans and collectors
. The review new bootlegs and reissues, watch Hendrix im¬
personators perform, and delve into the history of the band. The
latest thing seems to be poster-sized photo reprodu ctions. (S-8t/MG)
WASTE PAPER #29 ($1.00 from 638 E. 13th Ave., Denver, CO
80203): Pay no attention to the title, this is no waste of paper. Some
of the best all-around reviewing I've seen here, from live shows
(Revolting Cocks, Sonic Youth, Nick Cave to name a few) to record
reviews to interviews (Skinny Puppy) to zine reviews (some of which
I'd like to plagiarize) to ''Best of..." lists, which includes singles,
albums, beers and shows. Anyhow, you've got to love a column
that calls itself "Be er and Egos." (S-36/CG) _
WAVELENGTH #124-125 ($15/12 issues from PO Box 15667, New
Orleans, LA 70175): This one is your window on the New Orleans
music scene, with an emphasis on jazz and blues. #124 has Danny
Barker, Mardi Gras notes, and of course a long listing of who's
where when. #125 looks at reissues, both jazz and r&b, CD and
otherwise. (S-40t/MG)_
WHAT GOES ON #4 ($5 from VUAS, 5721 SE Laguna Ave.,
Stuart, FL 34997-7828): The zine of the Velvet Underground
Appreciation Society. It's been a long time (5 years) since the previous
issue, but this fat volume, complete with color photos and reunion
flexidisc, was worth the wait. It focuses on drummer Moe Tucker,
featuring extensive interviews with her and her daughter, a
discography update, auction VU material, and plenty more.
(S-78t/MG) __
WHAT'S NEXT?!! #2 ($2 (?) from Dan Lajoie, 110 Maria St. #2,
Sarnia, ONT, N7T 4S5, CANADA): A fat zine of metal, thrash and
hardcore. (Though they also look outside the music arena, with a
Peter Bagge interview). This issue has Dougboys, Lemonheads,
Scatterbrain, Obliveon, Vio-Lence and lots more, plus a load of
reviews. There's also scene reports from places as diverse as the
UK and Toronto. ( S-60/MG) __
WHAT UP! #4 ($1 from Jewel, 131-20-135th PL, New York, NY
11420): Formerly NEW WAVE IS ALIVE, this zine covers a variety
of new music. There's an interview with Skull Duggery in this issue
and one with Reaction. Jewel also publishes short reviews, little bits
of fiction, gothic poetry and whatever other goodies she finds.
(S-36/MG) _
WHITE NOISE #30 ($3/4 issues from PO Box 1564, Point Roberts,
WA 98281-1564): A zine for those interested in loud, metallic,
Christian rock and roll. It's always chaotically filled with bits of
news and gossip tucked in every corner. This issue includes Crash
Dog, Immortal De ad, and more. (S-8/MG) _
WIRE Vol. 10 #1-2 ($9.50/yr from 2319 N. 19th St. #143, Seattle,
WA 98103): Alternative music and culture from a Pacific Northwest
point of view. #1 includes a nice piece on Marshmallow Overcoat,
while #2 has Savage Republic, a page by Clark Humphrey on junk
food, and comics as art. (S-32t/MG) _
WONDEROUS STORIES Vol. 2 #2 ($3.50 from PO Box 85,
University Sta., Syracuse, NY 13210): The magazine for fans of the
rock group Yes—which is now in the process of putting out a
reunion album. Besides that exciting news, this issue has interviews
with Peter Banks and Larry Gowan, letters, reviews of tapes and
other news about the ban. (S-19t/MG) _
WRITER'S BLOCK #7 ($2 from Mike Appelstein, PO Box 271,
Spotswood, NJ 08884): A zine of new music with good reviews and
a few extra columns, like Anne Rubinstein's stuff on comics. This
one includes interviews with the strange people at Dairy Queen
Empire , plus Cou rtney Love and Sue Garner. (S- 24r/MG)
YOUR FLESH #21 ($3.50 from Peter Davis, PO Box- 25146,
Minneapolis, MN 55458-6146): A beautiful mutant color cover wraps
around a lot of loud new music here. They feature Clawhammer,
Velvet Monkeys, Cop Shoot Cop and God's Acre along with an
interview with fFILM THREAT honcho Christian Gore. Plenty of
reviews, most in a take-no-prisoners style, fill out the book.
(S-96t/MG)
□ZIPS & CHAINS #6 ($2 from Dario Adamic, Via Arrigo Boito
78/D, 00052 Valcanneto (Cerveteri), ITALY): English-language look
at the music zine in Europe and elsewhere, in the grand punk
tradition. Toten Hosen, President Fetch, MDM, BBB, Happy Kadaver,
Alptraum and lots more here, along with a section of serious reviews.
(D-40r/MG)
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66
Comics Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
111 THINGS YOU WOULDNT WANT TO MEET IN A DARK
ALLEY #2 (35* & a stamp from Roadkill Comics, Diego Kirsch, PO
Box 104, Athens, GA 30603): A further enumeration in crude
drawings. This issue includes a fearsome mugger, some sort of
cleaning brush, aliens and who knows what else. Certainly on the
primitive side. (M-8/MG)
square. No real deep point here, just a cute bit of art in
a collectible size. ( MM-12/MG) _
ADMIT ONE #2 (65[cents] plus Age Statement from
Sulzbach, POBox 1694, Phenix City, AL 36868): The warning
on the cover suggests that if you have any "wholesome
moral convictions" you should probably not read this mini.
Three small stories about a neanderthaltype who gave up
major vices but clings to caffeine, "Slime Joe," that ole
stereotyped Chines character who serves deodorized armpit
hairs in his soup, and two fellas discussing the lack of
sexual prowess of one of them. (M-6/CG)
ANACHRONISTIC TIME BOMB FUNNIES #2 ($2.75
from Nathan Tolzmann, 1905 Tree House, Plano, TX 75023):
This is as much art as comics, visual poetry passing down
the page in some pieces, action/adventure in others. Nathan
and company have strange ways of looking at the world.
I loved "Marmot" and his caravan of 50's promotional
materials. (S-24/MG)_
□ART 208 #1 ($1.50 from Jules Grey Hart, 1719 N. 19th
St. #C3, Superior, WI 54880): An excellent entry into the
comics field,with a quite impressive selection of science
fictional and surreal work. There is a bit of vacuum cleaner
silliness, the start of an intriguing starship adventure, and
more. Promising s tuff. (D-20/MG) _
ATX TS-48. TS-86 (75* from Steven J. Brooks, Cam¬
bridge, MA 02238-2507): A pair of single-sheet comics
involving condoms. In the one the characters (stylized,
semi-geometric young women) argue about how many
cigarettes one is worth; in the other, the making of an
improvised dental dam is demonstrated. (S-l/MG)
BARR WARS WAITLIST BRAWL ($3.25 from 5338
Heather Glen, Garland, TX 75043): A refreshingly unique
apa made up of like-minded artists and fans who use their
comics and recurring characters in each issue. Each artist
has her/his own vision of the character; some installments
are written, most are drawn and all are fun to read.
(D-150/CG) _
THE BEATLES EXPERIENCE #2 ($2.50 plus postage
from Revolutionary Comics, 519 University Ave. #103, San
Diego, CA 92103): An unauthorized comic retelling of the
Beatles story. Being unauthorized doesn't make it inaccurate, though.
This installment covers the years 1964-66 (including the year's
headlines and top ten singles!) for the Fab Four like a pictorial
biography, mostly told from John's point of view, and the story
feels like new agai n. They do a great job at this. (S-40/CG)
□1 AND 1 #1 ($2 & Age Statement from Andrew Roller, PO Box
221295, Sacramento, CA 95822): A collection of comics, none of them
by Roller. Mike Wood is the main artist here, with a pair of
exceedingly bizarre strips, including one in which porn star Christy
Canyon comes out of the television and another nasty violent piece.
Covers by Eric Pe terson, reviews by Lynn Hansen . (S-18t/MG)
□2"=2' (50* from Jabberwocky Graphix, PO Box 165246, Irving,
TX 75016): A tiny comic of toes, done on paper about two inches
THE BEAUTIFUL CREEPS THAT MADE MY VACATION A
REAL COOL NIGHTMARE Part 10 ($1.50 from Robert Michael, 46
Bam Rd., Agawam, MA 01001): A minicomic of people like
"Hortense" and "Nick", folks who washed up on Cape Cod for the
summer. The style is reminiscent of Peter Bagge, and a separate
12-page remix ver sion is also included. (M-40 & M M-12/MG)
BEWARE THE JABBERWOK (50[cents] or trade from George
Harnish, 2760 Louisiana Ct. #9, St. Louis Park, MN 55426): A tiny
mini-mini with a various poses of dragons. I do wonder if these
drawings are reduced or if George actually draws this tiny. If so,
then these are so mething out of Alice's world. (M M-6/CG)
□BIRDS FROM NOWHERE (35* from Diego Kirsch, PO Box 104,
Athens, GA 30603): Rather crude sketchbook work here in a
minicomic format. The subject is in fact birds, of a variety of distorted
shapes and sizes. (M-8/MG) _
□BOMBAY (75* from Nullification Presentations, 1998 Huntington,
Grosse Pte. Woods, MI 48236-1918): Another stop on the depressed
nihilist's world tour. This is a bit of travelogue, with pictures and
description of the incredible congestion and lack of dignity found
in Bombay. (D-8/MG)__
BOOM BOOM: YOUR TICKET TO CONFUSION (50[cents] from
David Lasky, 403 8th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118): Curious comics
designed to "with a sense of utter incoherence," but that doesn't
stop them from being fun to read. A woman loses a comb in her
hair for 3 years, a high school girl saves the world from a one-eyed
robot. Good art. ( M-6/CG) _
□BORIS SLOAN #2 ($$1.25 from Arthur A. Lyon, 710 S. 26th,
South Bend, IN 46615-2206): Boris is billed on the cover as "Private
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Comics Reviews
67
Eye, Repetitive Jerk". His answer to almost any personal problem
is the same: shoot it. He blasts his way through life here, and then
starts in on death with the same attitude problem . (S-16/MG)
THE BOSTON COMIC NEWS #27 ($17/24 issues from HOP
Publications, PO Box 44-1289, Somerville, MA 02144): A variety of
comics here, mostly mainstream and editorial. The idea of BCN is
to collect into one easy package all the syndicated stuff you turn
to in the morning papers, and it works well; opinions without the
bother of news. ( T-20t/MG) _
BOVINE GAZETTE Vol. 1 #5 ($1 from PO Box 2263, Pasadena,
CA 91102): Comics which get more intriguing all the time. The writer
here is definitely off on his own plane of reality, with talking slugs
the most popular characters, followed closely by sheep. Oddball
stuff, suited for p erplexing your friends. p-12/MG )
BRAT PACK #3 ($2.95 plus postage from Tundra Publishing,
351 Pleasant St., Suite 214, Northampton, MA 01060): This one keeps
getting grimmer and grimmer. So far in our story the replacement
sidekicks (the former ones were murdered) of the town's grimy and
subversive super heroes have started their indoctrinations, which for
some include ritual beatings, rapings, smelling poorly and abject
humiliation. Still [ noir] but leaning towards nihilism . (S-94/CG)
CALVIN - A LOVE STORY (50* or trade from Alan Holt, 20
Mason Ave., Otahuhu, NEW ZEALAND): A strange dreamy
microcomic. It alternates periods of dreaming and darkness with
pleasantness and later pure terror. There does seem to be a bit of
a love story invol ved, but the plot is very confusi ng. (MM-40/MG)
□CAPTAIN ARMAND'S SHIP OF SIN ($1 & 2 stamps from Kel
N. Crum, 2031 Balmoral Ct., Columbus, OH 43229): In this issue
Kel's somewhat spacy heroine Corny gets picked up by the evil
Captain Armand, as punishment for her drifting ways. She
fortunately manages to get free through guile, but along the way
their are a variety of weird ghosts to contend wit h. (D-24/MG)
□THE CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE (75* from Nullification
Productions, 1998 Huntington, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236-1918):
How many people can combine Nietzsche and a trip to Honduras
in a comic? Well, here's the result, fun in the sun with a
terminally-depressed narrator who looks a bit like an aardvark. Life
isn't good for some people no matter how well it goes. (D-8/MG)
□CHERYL AND JIM #1 (25[cents] plus a stamp from Doug
Chapel, 2 Shirley St. #3, Worcester, MA 01610): If Cheryl and Jim
are really friends of Doug then they probably won't be much longer.
They have a sad, unhealthy relationship dependent on video games,
alcohol, loud music, bad driving and soap operas. But Chapel's
drawing and style are always fun to read, anyway . (M-6/CG)
□CHOICES A Pro-Choice Benefit Comic ($5.50 from Angry Isis,
1982 15th St., San Francisco, CA 94114): I wish this weren't a
one-shot, and I hope the future brings more. Here are, in many a
varied style and method, are a collection of [pro-choice] comics, in
the great tradition of the underground comic. But the messages of
these female and male artists are in no way underground—sometimes
humorous, sometimes dramatic, always poignant voices of protest
over a woman's right to decide what to do with her body. And
what a collection of artists: Alison Bechdel, Nicole Hollander, Cathy
Guisewite, Garry Trudeau, Bill Griffith, and many more whose names
might not be quite as familiar, but stand out in quite the same way.
This may be a strong belief for me, but I suspect that those who
don't share the opinions of the pro-choice element may have some
of their own beliefs challenged, just by settling down to this unusual
forum of talent an d voice. (D-48/CG) _
□COLOSTOMY DOMINE COMICS #1 ($1 from Eric Peterson,
11 Wall St., Canton, MA 02021): The latest round of bizarreness
from Grin Reaper Productions. It's got people with eyeballs wiggling
out of their heads, bizarre sexual fetishes, people with extremely
large body parts and other hallucinations. I loved the "Brain on
Doug" strip. (S-12/ MG) _
□COMIC CHRONICLE #24 ($3.50/3 issues from Glen Lubbert,
RD 2 McFann Rd., Valencia, PA 16059): Editorials and articles on
the state of comicdom today, mostly easily-had non-underground
types. It explores investment in comics, gimmicks used by comics
companies, media for the comic reader, and what's going to happen
to Thor anyday now. It has the makings of a mainstream review
and comics guide with a personal touch. (HL-18/C G)
THE COMICIST #13 ($1.50 from Rocket Graphics, PO Box 233,
Loveland, OH 45140): A review of the small press comics world
that seems to be covering more ground all the time. This issue has
news about a lot of the major small press comics folks, plus plenty
of reviews and let ters. (HL-25t/MG) _
COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE PRICE GUIDE April/June 1991
($9.95/yr from 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001): This one is
aimed squarely at the collector of comics from the Silver Age to the
present, listing current prices for something like 25,000 books. They
also feature a color guide to comics grading 4 , notes from dealers on
what's currently hot, and a look back at some collectible titles.
(S-90t/MG) __
COMICS F/X #17 ($15/6 issues from 5014-D Roosevelt Way NE,
Seattle, WA 98105): This is the last tabloid issue of this comics news
and reviews zine. Now they're switching to a standard-sized pub
and dropping some things like columns and their original comics.
They intend to continue concentrating on self-produced comics. This
issue has some nice pages of photos, and the usual plethora of
reviews, plus the Morty Awards for last year. (T-2 8r/MG)
THE COMIC STRIP GAZETTE #3 ($2.75 & Age Statement from
Verl Holt Bond, 1475 Tabor Ave., Kettering, OH 45420): A collection
of Verl's work, both short strips and pieces of serials (as well as
an essay on reconstructing old movies and a batch of letters). He's
at his best in post-apocalyptic worlds where the air of desperation
that most of his c haracters emanate seems only na tural. (D-52/MG)
COMIKAZE #2 ($3 from PO Box 1145, Royal Oak, MI 48068):
Not entirely comics, as they interview Sonic Youth here for some
reason. But they also talk to Dennis Worden and Matt Feazell, and
publish bizarre comics with an indie/underground edge to them
including David Merline's "Carl Pig" and DL Dearth's "Tony Man".
Check out the pag e of pranks you can play too. (S-32t/MG)
COYOTE #2 ($1.25 from Mel. White, Laughing Coyote Press,
5338 Heather Glen, Garland, TX 75043):-This one is sort of an
experiment for Mel., a minicomic done with computer drawing
programs instead of sketchpad and pencil. It features Coyote and
Greywulf, a pair of anthropomorphs in a fair pack of trouble (don't
worry, there's a happy ending in this issue). Amusing, but I liked
her regular art sty le better. (M-24/MG) _
CROSSCURRENTS #7-8 ($1.60 from Rick Howe, 26 Woodland
Cir., Columbus, GA 31904): Mostly comics, though there are some
written pieces as
well, notably a
letter from An¬
drew Roller and
Rick's own essay
on the Writers of
the Future con¬
test. I enjoyed
Liam Brooks'
comic about why
he doesn't do
comics these
days. There
were also several
people drawing
their characters
falling through
the air...a curi¬
ous (non?) coin¬
cidence. (D-
24/MG)
□DANGER¬
OUS BIRDS ($1
from Kel M.
Crum, 2031 Bal¬
moral Ct., Co¬
lumbus, OH
43229): A tale of
a couple of birds
(literally) who
discover
3how lucrative a
lawsuit can be in
our litigation-
crazy society.
Fortunately for
68
Comics Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
society, the get their comeuppance in the end, returning to a
relatively happy li fe of birdness. Cute. (D-16/MG)
DIE FAT PIGGY DIE #23 (50* from Decadence Comix, PO Box
134, Waynesville, MO 65583): One of the all-time great zine titles,
with this issue being devoted to horror, mainly in the form of
comics. There are suicides and evil pom merchants and punk rock
stars here, all twisting reality around and ruining lives. Ends with
a gross-out short story. (D-8r/MG) _
DOGMA FIGHT ($2.75 from Kjartan Amorsson, PO Box 32292,
Tucson, AZ 85751): This is another battle between cartoon characters,
further spinoff from the rapidly-becoming-infamous Barr Wars. In
this one, Roberta Gregory's demons take on Kjartan's mad scientist,
in an ever escalating war of wits. Pretty amazing and amusing stuff.
(D-28/MG) _
□DONALD FUCK ($5 from S. H. Kristensen, Agtrupvej 109, 1
tv., DK-6000, DENMARK): A comic, all in Danish, about a rather
rude mutation of Donald Duck. It's got sex and violence and a
decided underground look and feel to it. Also comes with a 20-minute
soundtrack from Anus Presley on cassette, all clashing noises and
snippets of found sound. ($-28 & T/MG) _
DR. JOE GUY PAN PRESENTS RALPH AND REGGIE #2 ($2
CASH from Dr. Joe Guy Pan, 2118 Guadalupe St. #179, Austin, TX
78705): A really weird comic book featuring a rat, a bum, and the
spirit of Michael Landon in adventures ranging from Heaven to Hell
and points in between. Motorcycle madness, devious pigs, and a
graffiti-drenched a rt style make this stand out. (H L-40/MG)
DUNGAR THE BARBARIAN #28 ($1 from Dimestore Stories,
PO Box 360041, Strongsville, OH 44136): The long-running Dungar
series is still proceeding, as in this issue he rides through the woods
with the sorceress Rayne. Sword and sorcery with a few stereotypes
but a level of inte rest nonetheless. (M-16/MG)
ELECTROLYSIS #1 (75* from Sulzbach III, PO Box 1694, Phenix
City, AL 36868): A minicomic which spends its pages introducing
the main character, the wrestling champion known as "The
Impactor". We're told (in somewhat repetitive fashion) that he's
hurtin' inside, but we don't know why yet. (M-8/MG)
□EQUINE THE UNCIVILIZED #6-7 ($2.75 from GraphXpress,
PO Box 32292, Tucson, AZ 85751): A pro-quality comic featuring
Equine, a horse/anthropomorph in a good deal of trouble. There are
wizards here, and catapults, wenches and feats of valor and who
knows what else. #6 is a jam issue featuring work from a number
of big names, including Marc Schirmeister, Donna Barr and some
upstart turtles from some guys named Eastman and Laird. (S-32/MG)
EXQUISITE CORPSE CQMIX #14 (50* & 29* postage from
Starhead Comix, PO Box 30044, Seattle, WA 98103): A jam minicomic
from Jeff Gaither and Bill Shut, apparently vying to see who can
turn these two-page spreads into the most bizarre forms. Peter Max
on bad drugs. (M-8/MG)
EXTREME MAGAZENE #4 ($2 CASH from . Hojager Olesen,
Marius Holst Gade 6, 4th, DK-8700 Horsens, DENMARK): A review
of comix from all over the place, with excerpts from their art. Tommy
is an artist himself, and starts his own serial in this issue, a sort
of film noir in print. Strange and extreme comics are especially
invited to send co pies for review. (D-16/MG)
□EYE AM EYE #1 (50* from Jeff EHvorak, 442 Rte. 1466, Clifton
ip. Kao Bum IFssa
o 82 Ms Per Stonii
Better Than Best. Forget the.....
ihg 'ol Hi-Qualttu CoHicslI
[Enter Pan's Isgic Hingdowl]
Ifiitern MS ICoifStoopid!!
GET YOURS FOR $2 CASH
Send for free catalog today! „
Dr. Joe Guy Pan, 2118 Guadalupe St. *179, Austin, TX 78705
Park, NY 12065): This microcomic is sorta disturbing, or at least the
lead story "This Blind Life" is, starting with a kid who has a dream
only to get it rudely stomped. Jeff also includes a lonely little poem
in the back. (MM- 32/MG) __
□FEAR ITSELF #1 ($1.50 from GoGo Guy Publications, POBox
5212, Succ. C., Montreal, Quebec, H2X 3W2 CANADA): These are
a most unusual bunch of comic artists. This comic is all drawn by
Matthew Brown, who delivers melancholy and/or introspective stories
about dog fantasizing, "getting in touch with your sexuality," and
a Christmas tragedy. Intriguing art; really, a most unusual bunch.
(D-14/CG)_
FETAL BRAIN TANGO (Tundra Publishing, 320 Riverside Dr.,
Northampton, MA 01060): The second in Tundra's new sketchbook
series. It presents work in everything from ballpoint pen to watercolor
from one of the main workers on SWAMP THING, John Tottleben.
His imagination runs to gruesome monsters, women in peril, nudes,
weird alien beings and more. Superb work. (S-40/ MG)
FLOP #3-4 (50* from Paul Nicoloff, 800 Nelson St. #103, Austin,
TX 78703): Cute single-panel gags, along with a winning entry to a
Zippy the Pinhead contest. I enjoyed the flower-molester lineup and
the End of the W orld especially. Chuckles. (M-8/M G)
FOLLOWERS OF THE ALL Vol. 1 #6 ($2 (?) from James Rubino,
PO Box 8064, Pembroke Pines, FL 33084): A comic with plenty of
Christian symbolism—Virtue, Patience, and Mr. Faith are among the
last believers in the true religion, in a high-tech society that worships
Baal, In this issue Patience gets captured, and Mr. Faith determines
to stand up to the evil minions. (D-28/MG)
FRAN AN' MAABL #3 ($3.00 from Mailbox Books, POBox 1278,
Roslyn, PA 19001): An unconventional standard sized saga of two
female beings(well, they're actually boobulous humans with cat
heads) who possess magic of some sort and go on adventures*
together. In this part of die epic they enter th€ inner world (which
is tough for Maabl as she is..er..quite rotund and not mor£ than a
little top heavy), resolve some spell mysteries and never have sex.
It's fun and lighthearted. (S-32/CG)
□FREAK FUCKS ($2.52 & Age Statement from Starhead Comix,
PO Box 30044, Seattle, WA 98103): A series of single panel
sexually-oriented cartoons by D. Worden. They feature aliens and
deformed humans, some with overdeveloped genitalia, some with
multiple sets, and many even harder to classify. The stuff of
nightmares. (M-24/MG)
FUN IN RUSSIA WITH MASTER ANARCHY #5 (25[cents] and
a stamp from Jeff Carvalho, 92 Heather Dr., East Hartford, CT
06118-3114): I must have missed the gist of this ongoing story,
because this is the last installment and I can't understand what's
going on. Apparently Master Anarchy is a spy or infiltrator whose
happened upon a room in which there is a red button he's not
supposed to press. He presses it. Stay tuned for what happens next.
(M-6/CG) _
□GLX SPTZL! #1 (35*& a stamp from No-Mo Comics, 238 Barber
St., Athens, GA 30601): Another freeform comic from Devlin
Thompson. This issue has dead celebrities, falling monsters, puzzling
underwear jokes, and more. (M-8/MG)
GOODIES #81-84 ($1.50 & Age Statement from Jabberwocky
Graphix, PO Box 165246, Irving, TX 75018): Lusty minicomic art
from Brad Foster and a host of friends. There's a mix here: some
pinups, some short strips, and Brad himself reviews porno flicks.
Feminine bodies ranging from the pleasantly rounded to the
fetishistically exaggerated, all ready for action and most stripped to
the buff. #84 has a wild strip of ghostly sex and other relationships.
(M-16/MG) _
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE CURLEY Vol.l #1 (50[cents]
from Haricots Verts, 753 Tamarack Ave., San Carlos, CA 94070):
Short strips of two Cajun-sounding cats, Francis and Curley, who
lightly engage in conversation that runs from satire to Marx
Brother-ish banter. This one would fit in fine in almost any city
daily and the cats are funnier and more intelligent than that other
mainstream orange critter. (M-7/CG)
THE GRAD #6 ($1.50 from John Migliore, 17 Halam Ave.,
Hamilton, ONT, L8V 1Z2, CANADA): This one is getting more
confusing by the minute, as characters proliferate. You get the two
giant monsters Yucca and Oomph, Lethargic Lad and his sidekicks,
some dastardly villains and classic lawmen duking it out at a comics
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Comics Reviews
69
con, and more. Pl enty of action and cliche-busting here. (D-32/MG)
A GREAT BIG TEXAS HOWDY (50[cents] from W. Joe Hoppe,
1603 Woodlawn, Suite #2, Austin, TX 78703): "100% totally true"
chronicle of Joe's descent from the "Miniapple" to Austin, as he
finds himself in cowboy land where there are a million wonders
and attractions. There's the Alamo, a snake farm, goats with bike
handgrips on their horns, and the world's finest boots. Hearty and
friendly. (M-15/CG)_
GUBBA GUB COMICS Vol. 2 #1 ($1.50 from Mark Fearing, 730
E. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53703): Gud, the bizarre being in a
future society of peopelbots, is back. In this issue he has a new
backup feature, Dobbly Lotus, who happens to be a potato-like
critter without arms. A strange book, starting off a couple of new
stories for the mo nths ahead. (D-16/MG) _
□GUY GOODE, THE SUPER GOOD GUY #1 ($1.50 from Pete
Maher, PO Box 4, Oceanport, NJ 07757): Super Good Guy is one
of the more musclebound vigilante heros around, though not one
of the brightest. In this issue he rescues the police chief from the
nefarious baddies, and manages to avoid getting busted himself.
Superheros in the strange zone. (S-20/MG) _
HANK AND HANNAH ($5 plus Age Statement from B.N.
Duncan, do B.E.F.P., 2425 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704):
"Over and Under" is the subtitle of this booklet of cartoons about
Hank and Hannah, a couple who have sex a lot. Most of the written
part has Hank philosophizing about the joys of his woman's body,
and shows the difference between two perceptions—namely his and
hers. Hank's ideas start to sound a little one-sided after a while,
but it's apparent that he loves Hannah, and she loves him, so I
guess they belong together. (S-28/CG) _
HERMAN HANKS #2 (75[cents] from POBox 360041, Strongsville,
OH 44136): This is Herman's "team up special" in which the heroic
chicken? rooster? flies through the cosmos with Floyd, a smiley-faee
robot orb (who you'll find in the pages ofZOT). Most of the action
revolves around Herman trying to find out just exactly what and
who Floyd is. (M- 6/CG) __
□HERO 358 #1 (50* from Starlight Comix, 1 David Ln. #4A,
Yonkers, NY 10701): Pretty standard superhero stuff in this mini,
which appears to be tackling questions of vigilante justice. Takes
place on a newly-ri sen 8th continent on an alternate earth. (M-16/MG)
HARVEYVILLE FUN TIMES Vol. 1 #2 ($6/4 issues from Mark
Arnold, 1464 La Playa #105, San Francisco, CA 94122): A zine for
lovers of Harvey comics. This issue has a Casper checklist, more
on the history of Richie Rich, and a selection of covers from parodies
of Harvey comics. (S-12/MG) _
HEALTH #3 ($2 from David Tompkins, 207 Ave. B #2A, New
York, NY 10009): A strange comic collection with a glossy card
cover. Inside there are wolves, auto-mobile teeth, love lost in bars,
the Pogues, and other strange things. Life in the city as seen through
deranged eyes. (H L-36/MG) __
HEMPSTONED #2 (50* from G. Stomberg, 303 S. 5th St., Oregon,
IL 61061): A combination comics and poetry and collage zine, or
something like that. Greg doesn't carry on very coherent plots, but
he has westerns a nd SF mixed up in this one. (M -16/MG)
□HMM? #1 ($1 from Pneumatic Press, PO Box 1964, Ventura,
CA 93002): A microcomic that came in a small plastic bag with a
smaller plastic gun. The artwork is by Jaime Crespo, who is at home
with junkies nodding off and a long list of stereotypes to hate, from
yuppies to mindle ss sports fans. (MM-16/MG)
HODAGS AND HODADDIES #8-10 ($2 (?) from 285 Metropolitan
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211): A looseleaf comics collection that comes
in a variety of packages. They feature disturbing cartoonists like
Scott Cunningham and Russell Christian, with looks at the city and
the people in it. Nice color cover on #9. The overall impression is
sort of like a New York version of ARTPAPER. ( S-15/MG)
□HORN FARM #1 (87* CASH/Stamps & Age Statement from 312
Harvard E. #109, Seattle, WA 98102): This comic treads pretty close
to the edges...bondage, necrophilia, demons, defecation and more
are among their subjects. The pictures start small and gradually
grow, along with the nasty neurotic overtones. A probable hit.
(D-20/MG) _
□ILL BILL HAS HIS FILL (50* from 711 W. 20th, Tulsa, OK
74107): Another book that is probably not politically correct. Ill Bill
is a hypochondriac who also gets injured quite a bit, all of which
is presented in as humorous a fashion as possible. Would have
benefited from lar ger panels, though. (D-8/MG)
□IMAGINATION LINK #47 (75* from Alan & Carl Sissom, PO
Box 421, Woodbury, TN 37190): A minicomic that bills itself as "The
back-pocket comics showcase!". "The link" is the main feature here,
about a spherical flying robot probe who seems to have taken a
liking to a couple of kids. (M-20/MG) _
IMAGO #2 ($4 from Figment Press, PO Box 3566, Moscow, ID
83843-0477): A zine of comics commentary and serialized dramas.
Chuck Bordell has some very nice fantasy work running here, while
Jeff Mason contributes an amusing one-page comic. JC Hendee
worries about "The Death of the Small Press", and there are reviews
of some graphic n ovels. (D-48t/MG) _
INSECT MAN (50* from Jim Conatser, 113 N. Booth St.,
Dubuque, IA 52001): A minicomic of the food chain. Insect Man
eats and in turn gets eaten, though the sequence is rather more
complex than that. Cute. (M-8/MG) _
□IRREVERENT ADVENTURES OF ROXXIE ($3 from Rox-o-tro-
nic, 2060 3rd St., Berkeley, CA 94710): A collection of cartoons from
Roxxie of GIRL JOCK zine. She deals in lesbian humor, some
accessible to outsiders, others (such as the cartoon based on being
a "butch pig") relatively opaque. Funny stuff, skewering mannerisms
and political corre ctness and other foibles equally. (D-33/MG)
□ISKANDER ($1.50 from Jason Lutes, Penny Dreadful Press, Box
#979, 2 College St, Providence, RI 02903): A minicomic with a lovely
color cover. Inside, the plot concerns a dog who has died in an
Islamic country, and two boys discussing whether or not he will go
to Heaven. Very o dd, actually. (M-24/MG) _
□I TRAVEL #2 ($1 & a stamp from Lunkhead Comics, 504 W.
24th #1, Austin, TX 78705): A strange comic featuring Reality Man,
who for some reason wears a bag over his head. He steps into a
dream pore while on his way to get some eats in this issue, and
gets assaulted by s omething like the Platonic ideal o f food. (S-16/MG)
MISSPENT YOUTHS
by "Moe and Detritus" creator
DAVID LEE INGERSOLL
IT is TRULY A FARR OCCASION NS
WHEN I AM IN ACCORDANCE. WITH
NY COMPAOR£S ON PSYCHOLOGICAL
OR POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES,Birr
AADGXTLY do we agree in
RECOMMENDING THIS SUPERLfONE
graphic narrative
DEPICTION OF LATE. ,
Adolescence in an /
\ Age OF LUNACY AND /A
\ IMPENDING doom. / v (I
WHAT He SAID. 32 PAGES
v IN SLACK AND WHITE.
detritus
LIU AND
THE PILE.
TARE ONE -
©IY10
MNtOLK
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Comics Reviews
71
□JOHN THE DEAD #1 (50* from Randy Watts, Huge Comics,
4618 Famham Ave., Dayton, OH 45420): The start of a new
minicomics series featuring a lead character who is, yes, dead. He
starts out on the other side, but gets sent to earth and is now
wandering around, still dead but thinking and mobile. Weird.
(M-16/MG)
□JON DOUGH #1 (75* from LBNPHISP, 711 W. 20th St., Tulsa,
OK 74107): A comic featuring the titular detective, who has spliced
some flour into his DNA. As a result he can rework his face as
situations demand: Charlie Chan, Charlie Chaplin, Charlie
Brown...the possibilities are endless, and spawn plenty of bad puns
on the way. (D-16 /MG) _
THE JOY OF LEXICONOGRAPHY ($ITHE JOY OF
LEXICONOGRAPHYQOY](45[cents] from Amy Frushour, 1311 Chest¬
nut Lane, Temperance, MI 48182): A fun little mini using words and
pictures to describe the weird images we get from the English
language. For example, "Paradise Flosssed" and "Paradise Retained"
are depicted as mo uths with teeth and braces. Cleve r stuff. (M-7/CG)
KARNO'S KLASSICS POSTER ISSUE #33 (75* & 29* postage
from PO Box 32292, Tucson, AZ 85751): A selection of mini-posters
from the pen of Kjartan Amorsson. I enjoyed the one of Albert
Einstein promoting the Association for the Annoyance of Stupid
People Harassing Others with Lesser Intelligence, as well as the
"Become Kamo's Slave" one. (S-6/MG) _
KARNO'S KLASSICS SPECIAL #6-7 ($2.75 from Kjartan Amors-
son, PO Box 32292, Tucson, AZ 85751): A two-part special "Tag-Team
Jam", featuring a batch of underground cartoonists and their
characters wreaking mayhem on one another. Incredible amounts of
violence, bizarre escapes from cliffhanger pages, and berserk
characterization ar e the order of the day. Goo fun . (S-24/MG)
□KILLER KITTY #1 ($1 from Media Queen, 8825 Roswell Rd.
#474, Atlanta, GA 30350): This is a nasty little children's tale about
three misbehaving bunnies who end up getting ripped limb from
limb by the Big Black Cat. Drawn in prison by convicted killers GJ
Schaefer, Bill Weber and Moose DenBleyker, the art is a bit primitive.
(D-12/MG) __
KING-CAT COMICS AND STORIES #26 (35* plis 52* postage
from John Porcellino, 1954 Brookside Ln., Hoffman Est., IL 60194):
More strange dreams from John Porcellino, from scary thoughts
inspired by war to public nudity and other embarrassing situations.
There's also another installment of the Mark Trail watch and a free
"Paranoid Comix" mini insert. (D-16 & M-12/MG)
KIWI AND GUNNER #2 ($1.25 from Renee Maciejewski, 1235
Longmeadow Dr., Kennesaw, GA 30144): Bizarre little tale of two
lovers of animal-extraction who grapple with devils inside of her
and true love inside of him. I hope by missing the first issue I
haven't missed the gist of this —it's a bit eery and somewhat sad,
a kind of maudlin Krazy Kat and Ignatz. (D-12/CG )
□KURTZ THE KAT (50* from Mickey Dubrow, PO Box 674948,
Marietta, GA 30067-0007): Remember all the slapdash cartoon violence
in Tom and Jerry? Well, Kurtz puts that cat to shame. This is pages
of him hacking, shooting and otherwise killing rats, and when he
kills them, they stay dead. I read it over dinner, but most people
will likely find it a bit unsettling. (D-8/MG) _
L'ECHO DES CHANTIERS #8 ($1 (?) from Kurt Beaulieu, 4230
Pierre de Coubertin #9, Montreal, QC, HIV 1V4, CANADA): Comics
of paranoid relationships and mental breakdowns. Kurt draws people
with staring eyes and psychotic energy emanating from their heads,
lost in worlds that make no sense. Weird. (S-4/MG )
LER'IAN & AURORYA "Beginning the Holidays In Bed" ($2.50
& Age Statement from Dr. Agon, PO Box 1282, Fort Collins, CO
80522): A comic adventure featuring Dr. Agon's favorite aliens, the
bisexual hermaphroditic furry dragons from the planet Polymarinus.
They start off on a routine bit of engineering, but end up in bed
with some extremely intriguing imaginary appendages poking at one
another. (S-22/MG)___
□MARTYRMAN #1-7 (35[cents] each from Amy Frushour, 1311
Chestnut Lane, Temperance, MI 48182): Comics beget comics. Taking
the cue from her small press pals, Amy's created a superhero type
who uses guilt as his deadly weapon (it works). Along with his
sarcastic MTV-watching sidekick, Marty tangles with monsters, cops,
and blind dates. Gets better as it goes along, and the stick figures
actually work for this one. Great line: "Cartoons. Love 'em, but
don't take any cra p from 'em." (MM-8/CG) _
□MIKE THE POD COMIX #0.0 ($1 from The Official Cult of
Mike the Pod, 33 Beech Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452): Setting aside
the fact that Mike the Pod is a cult and a not very clear cut cult,
this is a fine comic with some pretty talented people on their side.
It's mostly made up of collegiate escapades, but the kind you
remember and wish you had written down when you were there
(like the bruiser you accidentally woke up when you thought it was
your friend's door you were knocking on). One that stands above
the rest is "I Was A Middle-Aged Cabbage Patch Kid," which should
bring more than a chuckle or two. (S-30/CG)
□MINE, DAMMIT! #1 ($1 from Jeff Harris, Box 308, Cape
Neddick, ME 03902): Jeff has some amusing ideas and a rough but
serviceable style, and this mini works well. Besides some stuff that'
just strange, he does some strips about the planet and what we're
doing to it, plus some self-referential work about being a cartoonist.
(M-24/MG) __
□MINK ($1 from Jason Lutes, Box #979, 2 College St., Providence,
RI 02903): A wordless microcomic featuring a rather feral looking
mink—this is not some "funny animal" book. After a good meal of
furry woodland critters, it settles down for a nap. Includes color
covers. (MM-24/MG)_ '
□MURDER #1 ($2 from Experimental Productions, RD #1 Box
249, Creekside, PA 15732-9730): This comic features alliterative
dialogue, detective movie cliches,and pretty primitive pictures. It
features Dr. Lowlife as a detective, trying to figure out who killed
the butler. (D-12/MG)_
NATURE AND SPIRIT ($2 (?) from B.N. Duncan do BEFP,
2425 College Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704): This is a bit of a departure
for Bruce, a celebration of life on earth, the wonders of the animal
kingdom, and the omnipresent divine spark. Bruce draws animals
and tags them with bits of philosophicaL-wonder, my fave being
the platypus captioned "I never get over how strange ft is to be a
part of creation." (S-24/MG) _
NEAR FICTION #3 (75* from Jason Lutes, Penny Dreadful Press,
Box #979, 2 College St., Providence, RI 02903): A minicomic with
lovely art and a very confusing plot. There's a grumpy guy and his
daughter, a burning house, a bum with strange dreams and strangers
on a train. Perhaps some day all these plot threads will come
together; meanwhi le, it's a real head-scratcher. (M -24/MG)
□NIGHT'S CHILDREN "Foreplay" ($6.45 & Age Statement from
Fantaco, 21 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12210-1391): This is the preview
edition for a coming 4-book miniseries about vampires in the modern
world. It looks quite promising. Wendy Snow Lang draws with
white and gray on black paper for a unique look, and her plot ideas
are oddball and in triguing. Comes with a poster. (S016/MG)
□NO! #1 ($2 CASH & Age Statement from 116 W. Desert View,
Barstow, CA 92311): Oddball comics that range from eating mashed
potatoes to funny animals on the lam to women prostituting
themselves for monkeys. There's a dreamy quality to much of Stymie
Baldwin's work here, and one never knows what plot complication
might lie around t he corner of the next page. (S-2 8/MG0
□PIERCING O.D. (15* & a stamp from PO Box 481051, Los
Angeles, CA 90048): I don't know where Carrie comes out with
these strange ideas. This mini is all about Skud, a punk who starts
out with a few simple tattoos, gets into them heavy duty, and then
gets into the hard stuff—body piercing. (M-16/MG )
□PIRATE CORP$ #1-4 ($3 [except #3, $4] from Evan Dorkin,
543 Van Duzer St. 2nd FI., Staten Island, NY 10304): This one, set
in a mega-consumer society in the year 2674, has got to be one of
the best things I've read since AMERICAN FLAGG went downhill.
It's got mutant hockey players. Evil Businessmen, crazy robots, ska
music, and lots more. #3 is fabulous, with the kids partying in
Strummer's Mega Market, 20 square miles of shopping in a dystopia
gone mad. From the brilliant twisted mind behind MILK AND
CHEESE. I think you should all each buy lots of them. (S-28/MG)
PLASTIC FORKS #4-5 ($4.95 from Epic Comics, 387 Park Ave.
S, New York, NY 10016): Final two issues of a very strange futuristic
comic miniseries. There's a lot going on here, wild cobbled together
baloons, heavy weaponry, a daring rescue from a secret vivisection
facility and more. Ted McKeever's art is great, somewhat like John
Bergin's, full of ac tion and color and shudders. (S -60/MG)
PORNO BABIES #8 ($2.75 + Age Statement from Kjartan
72
Comics Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Amorsson, PO Box 32292, Tucson, AZ 85751): Homy, extraordinarily
endowed, anthropomorphic animals live and love in the same randy
household. What separates this comic from the amateurish sex comics
with animals is the clear cut enjoyment and respect the characters
have for themselves and each other. They also learn a few lessons
about getting along with others along the way. Check out Kjartan's
freedom editorial f or another lesson. (S-20/CG)
□THE PROTECTORS #1 (75* from Starlight Comix, 1 David Ln.
#4A, Yonkers, NY 10701): Another group of costumed superheroes
with personal problems. To be fair, they do develop a good deal
of personality in this issue, but the art is too dark for the minicomics
page, and so far they don't stand out from all the other clowns in
leotards. (M-24/MG)
PUSSY TIME #2 ($1.00 from Shaun Starks, [address?]): Don't be
misled, this is not about a vaginal orifice. It's a stark comment on
the state of the ghetto. When a rich passerby asks what the ghetto
is like, he's attacked with a barrage of chilling answers—dopemen,
guns, prostitution, and even a glossary. Unsettling . (D-13/CG)
RAT FINK #2 ($2.50 from World of Fandom, 2525 W. Knollwood
St., Tampa, FL 33614-4334): Yes, Big Daddy Roth's Rat Fink character
is back, as drooling and fly-followed as ever. With Jeff Gaither and
RJ Sloane working on the art, this is a lovely collection of Rat Fink
material, rife with crazy hot rods and anti-social beh avior. (S-44/MG)
RED SHETLAND #3 ($2.75 from Graph Xpress, PO Box 32292,
Tucson, AZ 85751): Red Shetland, the barbarian pony large-breasted
sword-fighting she-warrior (or something like that) is back. In this
issue she starts out flipping burgers for a living (hey, even barbarian
sword-ladies need to eat) but soon becomes involved in an attempt
to stop the nefarious mind behind Burger Czar from taking over
the world. Weird and funny stuff. (S-32/MG)
□REV. ABLACK #6 (75* from Starlight Comics, 1 David Ln. #4A,
Yonkers, NY 10701): Though the theme here is a bit hackneyed
(Ablack is the Antichrist, on his return to earth) the artwork by
Christopher and Lee Erwin is excellent. In this issue Ablack is in a
coma and developing stigmata on Earth, while his soul is getting
schooled by Lucife r in Hell. (M-20/MG) _
□ROGER FNORD #1 ($2.50 & Age Statement from S.E. Mills,
PO Box 18679, Indianapolis, IN 46218): Roger is a "sex-crazed time
traveller" from the 23rd century. In this first issue he goes back to
the 20th century and meets up with Cecelia Reynolds, who also has
voracious sexual appetites. Bondage, food sex, bathtub sex, oral sex,
and more. (D-28/MG)_
□THE ROLE MODEL ($1 from Kel M. Crum, 2031 Balmoral Ct.,
Columbus, OH 43229): A cute comic about the joys of having goals
and being politically correct. I don't want to give away the plot,
but Kel has the nineties pegged, and the art here is enough to make
it amusing in a co mic strippish way. (D-20/MG)
ROTTEN PEACHES #4 (50* & Age Statement from Mickey
Dubrow, PO Box 674948, Marietta, GA 30067-0007): The front’of this
adults-only comic is a bondage fantasy, but inside the main story
has Boytoy dealing with a rapist. And deal with him she does, in
a graphic and non -nonsense fashion. (D-12/MG)
ROUND HOUSE COMICS #5 (50* from Victor Gates, 552
Lancelot Dr., North Salt Lake, UT 84054-2230): Victor continues his
minicomic series about Alan and Lois, the young, in-love couple at
the center of this story about Big Beautiful Women. The Mormons
come into it too, as Victor explores a number of relationships
somewhat out of the ordinary. (M-16/MG)
SATAN COMIX #3 ($3.00 + Age Statement from Benjamin
Smith, 607A Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94117): Cunning comics
mix with verse offering satire and silliness (more of the former than
the latter). The devil incarnate becomes Bush, Schwartzkopf,
Powell—the lyrics become "Send in the Gowns." Later on the poems
become less witty but still poke holes in the same t enets. (D-48r/CG)
□THE SCIENCE AND RELIGION AS ARTBOOK #1-2 ($3 (?)
from Jason W. Homer, The Myth Factory, 1655 Oakwood Dr. N-122,
Penn Valley, PA 19072-1017): A collection of short strips and longer
stories combining science, creation, humor, art and religion. There
are dancing DNA molecules, data points holding hands on a graph,
right triangles, evolution and lots more patterns in these books.
Cheerful, upbeat a nd even a bit educational. (S-80 /MG)
□SMALL PRESS INTERVIEW #3 (75* from Lee Erwin, Starlight
Comics, 1 David Ln. #4-A, Yonkers, NY 10701): This one is more
text than art, but since ifs an interview with comics artist Brad
Foster, I guess it belongs here. Brad talks about working in the
small press, making a living, what he likes to draw, why people
think he only does dirty pictures, and more. Quite informative and
entertaining. (M-36r/MG)
SHORTOONZ #6 ($1.50 & Age Statement from Dan W. Taylor,
1833 Guntle Rd., New Lebanon, OH 45345): A minicomic featuring
both Dan's own Bad Girl and Robert Outlaw's Olivia. Actually,
Olivia has most of the book, with a modern adaptation of Little
Red Riding Hood as the subject. Charming and rather topheavy, as
well as a bit salaci ous. (M-24/MG) _
SKUZZ BUTTS #IX-X (75* from Nullification Presentations, 1998
Huntington, Grosse Pte. Woods, MI 48236-1918): More comics
featuring those wacky guys. Hale and Fred—a pair of working class
bozos, although Fred occasionally wanders off into philosophical
realms. They talk about everything from sex to death, relentlessly
tearing apart life's illusions and then getting drunk to build them
back up again. (D-8/MG)
□SMILEYGUY #1 (25* & a stamp from Casey Burns, PO Box
100, Flat Rock, NC 28731): The Matt Feazell influence is fairly obvious
in this stick-figure mini, with Smileyguy and Solemnman being
introduced amid some strange dimension-hopping. But it's still fun,
the price is right, and the mini format works fine for the plot.
(M-8/MG)
□SO YOU WANNA GET A TATTOO ($1 from Kel M. Crum,
2031 Balmoral Ct., Columbus, OH 43229): A comic featuring Kel's
suburban young lady, who in this issue decides to get a tattoo. This
causes a few problems, especially when it turns out to be a talking
tattoo. Weird. (P-1 6/MG) __
STARLIGHT SUPERHEROES #6-7 (75* from Starlight Comics, 1
David Ln. #4-A, Yonkers, NY 10701): Cute little superhero
minicomics, with silly plots and decent art. #6 features a character
who is half-Aunt, half-ant and the Human Eggbeater. #7 has Nazi
Robots, Captain W happo, and the FishMan. (M-2Q /MG)
STICKBOY #4 ($2.95 from Revolutionary Comics, 519 University
Ave. #103, San Diego, CA 92103): Weird Dennis Worden comics
about a cast of characters including Stickboy, a blockhead, and a
burnt flying marshmallow. They all get real existential and worry
about the crap going on in the world. Deep philosophy with some
record reviews at the end. (S-36/MG)
THE STORY OF BABY AQUA #2 ($1 from Rodd Marcus, 61 E.
8th St. #188, New York, NY 10003): A wild and wooly
comic with a lead character who is a Thalidomide baby
with flippers for hands and strange eyes. In this issue
he leads a revolt at the circus freak show. Very bizarre
stuff, suitable for confusing and offending plenty of
people, but with a crazy attitude thafs pretty attractive.
(M-28/MG) __
□STRIPPER'S LAMENT ($$3 from Kalynn Campbell,
PO Box 1168-564, Studio City, CA 91604): A sketchbook
of strippers, starting off with some classic Betty Page
poses and getting somewhat stranger as it proceeds.
Stuff with a fifties sensibility, from a time before the
idea of political correctness was invented, saucy and
light. (D-16/MG) __
□SUPER JIG-A-LO (50[cents] from David Lasky, 403
8th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118): Taking love story
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Comics Reviews
73
comic art and replacing his own dialogue for the original, David's
created his own inventive plot line. Poor Janice has a rather
unfortunate genital situation that leaves her lovers in the hospital.
She's met her match with Super Jig-A-Lo. 'Nuff said. Pretty unique.
Her father is the best character. (M-18/CG) _
THEME COMICS #3A ($1.75 & 2 stamps from S. Minstrel, 730
Chicago, San Antonio, TX 78210-5110): And the theme is...cows.
There's beefcake here, and straight cow pictures, and Frankencow,
and a cow getting milked by a UFO, and even three or four pages
of math on how fast a cow would have to run to jump over the
moon. Well done. (S-22/MG) _
THRILL KILL BILL V (75* & Age Statement from Nullification
Presentations, 1998 Huntington, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236-
1918): Bill is what you might call an anti-social individual. In this
issue he barges into a doctor's office, offs the doc, rapes the patient
and the nurse before getting into a small altercation with a passing
cop. Lots of action, great drawing, but surely not an uplifting
experience. (M-8/MG)_
□TIME FILE (50* from William Dockery, 2108 15th Ave., Phenix
City, AL 36867): Moe confusing minicomics from PD Wilson. This
one involves time travel, ancient Celtic mythology, toxic waste and
who knows what else, all crammed into panels the size of a
matchstick. (M-l 66 /MG) _
TOONS FROM HELL Vol. 3 ($1 from Scoats, 5153 Saul St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19124-1919): To call this stuff "graphically primitive"
is rather charitable. Pinky and Gloveman are walking hands in a
world where perspective doesn't quite work. Here they continue
their chase after t he mysterious Elvis. (D-14/MG)
TWISTED IMAGE #27 ($1 from Ace Backwords, 1630 University
Ave. #26, Berkeley, CA 94703): If you don't get enough Ace
Backwords comics here and in other zines, you can mainline them
direct from the source. In addition to the latest barbs from hfs pen,
Ace publishes the occasional opinion piece, reviews and letters from'
his fans and reade rs. (S-8/MG) _
UNSCENE COMICS #23 ($1 (?) from Wall-ter, PO Box 111,
Lebanon, KY 40033): This one is getting less comics-like as Wall-ter
gets further embroiled in the current mail art holy war. Fie does
still print some strips and cartoons, but the bulk of UNSCENE has
become a place for the various artists involved to attack one another.
(D-20/MG) _
U-PEOPLE ($3.00 from Nice Day Comix, 911 Park St., SW., Grand
Rapids, MI 49504-6241): A digest-sized comic with that old Marvel
feel to it. That is, the characters have flaws and idiosyncracies just
like the rest of us. The story is a little hazy, but involves a U-Person
(alien/human types) whose face is so damaged she has to wear a
leather mask, a leader who prefers to stay alone and swim, and an
android who feels used by the humans. See, I told you it had a
Marvel feel to it. I liked it. (D-16/CG) _
□UT: BOOK ONE: LIFE ($5.50 from_?): A comic anthology
of the parts of life many of us would like to forget. They resemble
"Ernie Pook's Comeek" in some ways, mainly in that self-defeating,
nobody-likes-me kind of way. There are tales from the horror of
school days,scary stories, summer camp memories, skipping school,
the value of being an artist and lots more. Very creative even with
a little sad-sack to ne. (HL-52/CG) _
VAE NATIBUS COMICS #2 ($4 from 1417 2a St. NW, Calgary,
Alberta, T2M 2X5, CANADA): This stuff is greatl I particularly enjoyed
Kevin Kurytnik's "Mr. Reaper" series, featuring the minion of death
encountering others at a bus stop. There is a strip on Zen and the
Art of Self Abuse, plus Larry, Curly and Moses getting the word
of god. Peculiar in deed. (D-40/MG) _
□VENETIAN FERNS #1 (35* & a sta,p from Diego Kirsch, PO
Box 104, Athens, GA 30603): A collage comic made up of faces and
dialogue lifted bodily from other comics, naturally it makes no sense
at all. (M-8/MG)_
VIGILANTE #3 (55[cents] from POBox 1694, Phenix City, AL
36867): Still pretty violent plot about a sharpshooter going after the
Big Boss in the quest to outdo crime, but it's less racist than in the
past and the plot seems to be getting more surreal. To be honest,
it's a little too reduced to really get into the art or the dialogue.
(M-6/CG)__
□WAR IS PEACE ($1 from Brad Johnson/JLN, PO Box 411172,
San Francisco, CA 94141-1172): A minicomic taking place in a
post-holocaust world, with a couple still trying to live a normal life
as they drive down a deserted highway. Sort of the condensed
"Damnation Alley", though with less violence and more pathos.
(M-l 6/MG)_
□WILD CREATURES #1 ($1 from Med Bob, Rt. 4 Box 5680,
Bonners Ferry, ID 83805): A new comic from Travis Truelove. This
first issue is the traditional "origin" story, explaining just where
these mutant animals came from, how they got to be the size of
humans, and why they surf and skate. Meanwhile, cross town the
bad mutant animal s are getting their act together too. (ST2/MG)
□THE WILDE STUFF COMIC BOOK ($4 (?) from Chuck Dodson,
PO Box 1799, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130): Dodson has a thick,
confusing, melting blending style that is quite distinctive, with things
reaching between panels and almost out of the page altogether.
There are hal;f a dozen or so stories here, from the first moments
of freedom for a tennis ball to the tale of a preadolescent kid being
exploited. Weird and in some spots dangerously pow erful. (S-88/MG)
WOTTA PLANET! #1 ($1 (?) from James Rubino, Internal
Perceptions, PO Box 8064, Pembroke Pines, FL 33084): A selection
of editorial cartoons and politically oriented strips, most from a
Christian, mildly conservative point of view. Rubino wonders why
funding statues of Christ is wrong but funding blasphemous art is
right, looks at putdowns of people, and attacks TV, among other
topics. Art's a bit shaky but on the way tc developing a distinctive
style. (D-24/MG) ___
XENOPHOBIC~KNIVES #2 (75* & 29* postage from Starhead
Comix, PO Box 30044, Seattle, WA 98103): A strange comic from
Steve Willis, mutating from plot to plot just about once a panel. It
starts off with Morty Dog, and ends with a handful of spermatozoa,
with plenty of changes between. (M-12/MG)_
YENDIE #2 ($2.50 from PO Box 18679, Indianapolis, IN 46218):
The "little monster with an attitude" is~T)ack, as artist S.E. Mills
continues to explore the pent-up ethnic wars between the Wingriders
and the Wildcritters at the high school they both inhabit. Neat story
line and original characters make this one a lot of fun, with all the
bands and pranks you could want, and plenty of backbiting—just
like I remember high sc hool being. (S-40/MG)
YET ANOTHER~SING ALONG WITH GEKO MINI COMIC (50*
from PO Box 481051, Los Angeles, CA 90048): Hard to say a lot
more about this one than the title does. Geko is a dark punk band
out in LA, and this mini illustrates the lyrics to one of their
songs—"The Little Mourner", about a small kid at his parents'
funeral. (M-8/MG)____
□YOUNG LUST#7~(^from Last Gasp Eco-Funnies, PO Box
410067, San Francisco, CA 94141): After a ten year gap, YOUNG
LUST has returned to the fold of underground comics. Everything
from censorship to chauvinism gets it in this tour of sexual follies
and foibles. The best parts include a romance between Betty Page
and Kim II Sung (dreamed up by Kinney & Mavrides), the
unexpurgated lyrics to "Frankie and Johnny", and Spain's "The
Sexist". (S-44/MG) __,__
□ZOMBOY!! ($1 from Danny V.D Dungen, Zeehondehplaat 9,
4301 WV Zierikzee, NETHERLANDS): A comic of skating, gore,
curiously relaxed dogs and other subject? The main attraction here
is Danny's careful style, a bit reminiscent of Brad Foster's with lots
of careful dot sha ding. (M-16/MG) _
ZZ TOP/MOJO NIXON ($2.50 plus postage from Revolutionary
Comics, 591 University Ave. #103, San Diego, CA 92103): A strange
combination, but these here are the comic biographies of these
esteemed recording artists. The retelling of the ZZTop story is
interesting and fun (because you know it's pretty factual and it's a
comic), but the Mojo story tops them all. It's actually authorized
and even narrated by Mojo himself (he's raised a notch on my
respect scale). It turns out he's the illegitimate son of Richard and
Pat, and he somehow incorporates almost all of his top singles into
the saga (Debbie Gibson, Elvis, etc.). (S-40/CG)
COMICS NOTES
•Jabberwocky Graphix (PO Box 165246, Irving, TX 75016) has a
new catalog out, mainly of Brad Foster erotic work but including
some other stuff a s well. $1.25 a nd age statement gets you a copy.
74
Electronic Frontier
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
ON THE ELECTRONIC FRONTIER
COMPUTER BULLETIN BOARDS
Yes, we've finally taken the plunge and started reviewing BBS
systems here in FF, with the help of Angela Gunn, who has joined
our staff for just this purpose. Naturally, we're looking for the ones
that stand out from the pack. This is no doubt just a small sample
of what is out there. We would love to hear about other boards
we should review. To get a BBS reviewed. You should leave a
message for "Soph" on the A*C*E BBS, at 518-479-2051. Don't hit
RETURN before you get a prompt when you sign on!
•FRED THE COMPUTER (508-872-8461, 2400 N-8-1) More eclectic
than the usual compubrew—the sysop's a columnist at the Middlesex
News and downloads the daily headlines, weirdness from the wire
services, and anything else he thinks you need (recipes, the
Declaration of Independence, his columns). Several unusual, small
and smart discussions here. The media discussion group (sig) has
a discussion of the Pamela Smart murder trial framed in socioeco¬
nomic terms; the main computer-oriented sig is throwing around
discussion of the big online services like CompuServe. The (less
active) Letters sig is for the moment war-oriented and tilts to the
right of center (a lot of patronizing Iraqi-bashing last time I looked).
Fun collection of computer folklore. Worth your dime.
•GREENPEACE ENVIRONET (415-512-9108, 2400 N-8-1) Primarily
a news line and network for eco-activists, this BBS provides a good
source of news and contacts for Greenpeace activity around the
world. Several specialized sigs provide information on Antarctica,
paper and pulp, marine watches and other Greenpeace concerns.
Questions to these sigs appear to receive well-thought-out and useful
answers on scientific questions as well as advice on courses of action.
Recommended for anyone active for environmental issues or
generally dissatisfied with the state of earth-reporting; activists may
find it useful for keeping up on faraway actions. The board is
remarkably non-regional.
•THE ILLUMINATI (512-447-4449, 2400 N-8-1) Big fun in the
cyber world. Along with myriad games in various stages of testing,
this board has important archives on its shutdown by Secret Service
agents early in 1990. (The board's principals were accused of interstate
larceny and their computer equipment was seized and held by the
Feds—apparently it's illegal to give a description of modem transfer
protocols online in the Land of the Free?) Now that it's back,
registered membership is well over 1,000, and the sysop has made
available the affadavits and legal papers filed by the Secret Service.
Essential history for any BBSer, even worth withstanding the
miserable auto-scroll for. On the lighter side, there are SubG goodies
and Star Trek parodies to be had, and a screamingly funny
pan-religious ("they're ALL good enough for me!") hymn. Pity it's
not downloadable, but some pleasures needs must be fleeting.
•MOFO EX MACHINA (212-764-3834, 1200 N-8-1) In case you
missed the Penn and Teller BBS number when they did the 1987
MTV awards, here we go again, and with all those old files relatively
non-updated. A few minor stunts are outlined for you junior-level
swindlers, and the dynamic duo throw a little attitude (with their
imaginary friends and Mofo the Psychic Gorilla. Unfortunately,
neither Penn nor Teller seems to have dropped in for several months.
But log in with a friend watching and let P&T delete your hard disk
for you. Just say Mofo.
•OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH BBS (212-385-2034,
1200/2400 N-8-1) A good idea, though usage is light—this bulletin
board covers occupational hazards for artists (i.e., toxic chemicals,
biohazards, etc.). The contributors thus far have been mostly
academic types with backgrounds in chemistry. However, a few
laypeople seem to have found the board and dared to ask about
the chemicals they work with, and the answers they've gotten have
been thorough and relatively nontechnical (and, I presume, helpful).
OSHA postings on regulations are also made available. Just in case
you ever wondered.
•SOUND DOCTRINE (303-680-7209, 2400 N-8-1) A Colorado-
based Christian BBS featuring a newsletter and many sermons. Get
saved online or just chat. The co-sysops of this boards also run a
highly, well, involved prayer group (don't call it a cult) and have a
few beefs with rock music, feminists, psychology and non¬
fundamentalist Protestant Christianity. There is a women's sig
(Adam's Rib) which seems to be genuinely supportive of women
who are in some way isolated from religious communities. Copies
of many sermons and other files are available for downloading. Let
it be noted that, though the system said all questions on the user
registration were optional, I wasn't allowed to pass without revealing
my "affiliation."
SOFTWARE
•I will review IBM-PC compatible software personally, and have
reviewers for Macintosh, Amiga, Apple II and Adam software, so
if you know of any interesting programs for these machines, please
put them in touch with FF.
We've fallen behind on reviewing non-IBM shareware, a condition
which should be corrected with the next issue. Honest. Well, we're
trying.
Where programs are written by a member of the Association
of Shareware Professionals we've made a special note in these
reviews. The ASP is a group of shareware authors who adhere to
minimum standards, including good documentation, non-crippled
programs, user support and participation in the ASPs problem-me¬
diation service. Watch for the [ASP] after reviews.
For more information on shareware, check out the book review
of Rob Rosenberger's SHAREWARE in FACTSHEET FIVE #37.
Where indicated, you can download these programs from the FF
BBS at 518-479-3879; they are also available on the A*C*E system
at 518-479-2051. A*C*E is a subscription system, 75* per hour after
your first half hour, but it does support 9600 baud V.32 downloading.
•ADDITOR ($30 from Inverted-A Inc., 401 Forrest Hill, Grand
Prairie, TX 75051): This is an add-in for the popular BRIEF test
editor, giving it some of the capabilities of a spreadsheet. Additor
operates easily and simply: you put the cursor in a number, run a
macro, and that number gets added to or subtracted from a 'running
accumulator. Other macros allow adding whole columns or rows
and of course putting the total back into the document. It works
easily and after a minute or two it is nearly intuitive to use. (IBM)
•ANIMaxx ($37.95 until June 1; $63.95 after June 1 from North
Coast Software, PO Box 343, Barrington, NH 03825): We looked at
this software in a beta test version, but now the commercial release
is here. ANIMaxx is an animation package for MicroSoft Windows,
at an incredibly reasonable price. It comes with a whole bunch of
demos, which show that it does have great potential for sharp
images. It can animate Autodesk Animator .FLI files as well as .BMP
and .DIB files, and the command language is quite simple; I was
able to get an animation of my own going after about thirty minutes
in the Windows Paintbrush program. For anyone considering
multimedia and wondering where the money is going to come from,
this package is a must-have. (IBM)
•BASSMAP vl.2 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $10 from
Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701): This is a
rather specialized shareware utility. It's a map editor for BassTour
and BassClass, a pair of shareware fishing simulation games. If you
have them, you probably already want to make your own lakes; if
not, you should probably take a look at this after you've started
with them. (IBM)ASP
•C.A.R.S. v.2.2 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $40 from
Cybernetic Software, PO Box 3594, Skokie, IL 60076): The acronym
is for "Complete Automobile Reporting System", and this is a
program designed to track to expenses of owning your cars, whether
it be one auto for personal use or a corporate fleet. It's a specialized
database with a few extra functions, such as calculating mileage,
built in, that can help you with planning, taxes, and so on. Not a
great thrill graphically, but fast and functional. (IBM)[ASP]
•CIPHER V2.0 (Shareware on FF BBS; registered version $15
from Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701): This
is a computer analog of the cipher puzzle games found in most
newspapers, usually on the comics page—you know, where
"factsheet" gets transmutated to "gprmtlaam" and you have to
unscramble it. Runs in EGA, VGA or text mode, and supports a
mouse as well. But does this pastime really need to be done
high-tech? (IBM)[ASP]
•DADA TENNIS #1-2 ($10 from Bill Paulauskas, Dream State,
PO Box 10, Woodhaven, NY 11421): A surrealist disk magazine, and
one of the best things I can think of to do with your Amiga. DADA
TENNIS is a writing project from the Dream World BBS (718-849-
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Electronic Frontier
75
3232), and its many contributors are to be well praised. The
presentation as well as the material is extremely well done, though
not seamless. The experience is conveyed very effectively through
words, sound and visuals, and though I'd like to see even more
art, it's easy to be drawn in. The stories are well-written, jarring
your brain with unexpected associations; sometimes making you stop
and reconsider, sometimes evoking laughter, doing both a good
portion of the time. In places the writing is out and out
hilarious—more than once I felt dumb by laughing out loud with
no one in the house. Contributors of writing, art, or sound
experiments get the next issue free. A great project; I'm impressed.
(Amiga) [Guest review by James Barnett]
•Daniels Poetry ($2 from Dan Adams, PO Box 376, Cameron,
WI 54822): This is actually a collection of poems on disk, together
with a simple batch-file driven interface to view them with. Dan
writes about everything from young love to "The Vagina" to the
horrors of war. The idea of packaging this on disk is interesting,
and doesn't seem to hurt the readability of the material any. He
also includes a few public-domain graphics demos on the diskette.
Add $1 for 3 1/2" diskette. (IBM)
•FPLAN 2.0 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $30 from First
Financial Software, PO Box 592957, Orlando, FL 32859-2967): This
is a program designed to help you plan your personal finances,
even if your life is pretty complex. It's set up for people who are
on a standard, more or less middle class track through life: working
at a decent job, owning insurance, saving for the future and so on.
It can help you budget for everyday expenses, determine how much
life insurance you should carry, investigate the impact of taxes and
inflation on your future, and so on. It also has a spot to hold your
insurance information so that it can be easily found if it's needed.
(IBM)[ASP]
•GRAB Plus Version 6.0 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration
$54.95 from ZPAY Payroll Systems, 2526 69th Ave. S, St. Petersburg,
FL 33712): This is the latest incarnation of this memory-resident
envelope printing program, designed to get its addresses right off
the screen of your word processor. Paul Mayer has been busy, and
this is a major upgrade. It now supports style sheets for multiple
printers, and includes TSR, command-line and Windows versions,
including the GRABDB database program to hold your frequently-
used addresses. It also has code built in to handle the standard
PostNet barcodes that the Post Office is using, and to do graphics
logos, as well as address labels. A fine package that works smoothly
and easily. (IBM)[ASP]
•Hyper MicroLife Plus (SASE for info from VaporWare, 115 15th
St. W #3, Minneapolis, MN 55403) is a full-featured replacement for
your current life. It includes on-line help, unlimited undo, an
interactive debugger, virus protection and many more features. Looks
like a winner.
•LIFE FORMS ($16 from Charles Platt, PO Box 556, Chelsea Sta.,
New York, NY 10113): This is a nice little cellular automata gem.
It comes pre-equipped with over 100 patterns, which display quickly
and colorfully on the screen. It also has a life form editor which
allows the user to make new versions without any complex math,
just plugging in numbers for a few parameters and trying it out.
Easy, fun, hypnotic, beautiful. (IBM)
•MAH JONGG v. 3.4 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $15
from Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701): This
is a colorful solitaire EGA/VGA implementation of the Chinese game.
It involves a good deal of strategy to get all those little tiles off the
screen; meanwhile, they sure do dress up the monitor. The rules
are simple, but their application can keep you busy for a long time.
Unfortunately, there were a handful of annoying hardware problems
that kept me from really enjoying this one: the mouse sensitivity
was set too low, with no way to change it; the opening screen
produced a nasty flicker on my VGA (which fortunately went away
when that screen did); worst of all, winning the game locked my
whole system up. Still, that's the virtue of shareware, and if it works
better on your computer this is one well worth looking at. (IBM)[ASP]
•MANDELBROT 3 version 2.1 ($25 from Midnight Beach, 1805A
Felt St., Santa Cruz, CA 95062): This is an update to the best of
the Mandelbrot set programs for the IBM PC, and as such I was
just going to mention it. Then I made the mistake of actually turning
it on, and two hours later I'm tearing myself away long enough to
write this review. Out of all the Mandelbrots on the market, this
is the one that I keep coming back to, thanks to its combination of
beauty, intuitive operation, and speed. It includes lots of nice little
touches: mouse support, a slick install program, a fast drawing
algorithm that sketches in parts of the set so that you can zoom in
quickly on areas of interest, virtual memory, and exported picture
files are a few of these. But frankly, it's the looks I love; the 256-color
versions, with the color palettes madly cycling away, are hypnotic
works of art, almost better than drugs. (IBM)
•Steve Marsh (4602 Monterrey, Wichita Falls, TX 76310) has a
great deal of fantasy role-playing material, dating back to the early
D&D days, with an emphasis on his own fully-developed worlds,
available on diskette. I'm not sure what he's doing for a pricing
structure these days, or whether he's still running a PBM game, but
designers and GMs with IBM-compatible computers should drop him
a line.
•MOUSE TOOLS vl.2 (Shareware on FF BBS; registered version
$10 from Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701):
Nels has written a couple of games using a mouse; this library will
help you write your own without too much drudgery. Made for
Turbo Pascal 5.5, the file includes source code for some sample
programs (including an icon editor) plus all the routines you need
to initialize and use a mouse in high resolution graphics modes.
(IBM)[ASP]
•POSTMODERN CULTURE. 1.2 ($6 from Box 8105 NCSU,
Raleigh, NC 27695; also available for browsing on the FF BBS): This
is an academic journal devoted to the study of postmodernism
(broadly defined). It's distributed in diskette form as well as
electronically over the internet; a microfiche version is also available.
Contents range from Sartre to Satanism, serious to humorous, poetry
to academic reviews. Includes pointers to a lot of other electronic
journals as well, a cutting edge that the brave are exploring already.
(IBM)
•RECAP (Shareware on FF BBS; shareware for 1 disk and 85*
postage or registration $15 from RK West Consulting, PO Box 8059,
Mission Hills, CA 91346): This program does, one thing, and it does
it well. That thing is to change the capitalization in DBase files. It
can take any DBase file and change the data fields to all caps, all
smalls, or just first letter capitals. It's quick, it does the job, and it
sure can clean up after sloppy data entry. (IBM)[ASP]
•RECURSIVE REALM 2.5 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $20
from Austin Software Design, PO Box 30133, Grand Junction, CO
81503): This is the new release of this shareware fractal program
which we previously reviewed. It still features flashy color, Julia set,
Newton's method and magnetism simulations as well as the original
Mandelbrot. New in this version are mappings for the final sets
onto spherical surfaces and 3-d plates, as well as various other
methods for transforming your images, including one that makes
jigsaw puzzles of them. Registered users also get a free copy of
MILLER, which displays dancing parametric equation plots on youi
screen. (IBM)[ASP]
•RTM (Shareware on FF BBS; registered version $30 from WetZoft
Applications, 788 Martin Ct. W, Severn, MD 21144-2213): RTM stands
for Resident Task Manager, and this is a cross between a calendar
program and a project planner. RTM can hold up to 150 tasks and
sort them by date, priority, and project—the latter field can be
changed by the user to something else as well. It's got a pop-up
calendar, an intuitive interface with full on-line help, and will swap
to disk or EMS if made memory-resident. There are also two
companion programs, CALRPT and CALTRV, which will make
formatted calendar printouts from either RTM or Sidekick Plus.
(IBM)[AS]
•SEARCHLIGHT 2.0 is out. This is an upgrade to the BBS
software we reviewed in the last issue. It now features unlimited
message and file areas, increased speed, decreased size, better
FidoNet support and multiline file descriptions. The full single user
version is now $89 from PO Box 640, Stony Brook, NY 11790.
•SHOOTING GALLERY v. 2.2 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration
$15 from Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701):
A VGA game which demonstrates just how lovely the graphics in
that mode can be. It requires a mouse, which acts as your gun; it
moves crosshairs on screen, and fires when you press the button.
There are two carnival shooting galleries, two skeet shoots, two
target practice/reaction time screens and as a finale a Wild West
shootout. Version 2.2 adds more music and rounds off some rough
edges of the command structure. One of the best VGA games
around. (IBM)[ASP]
•SUPERFLY v 1.1 (Shareware on FF BBS; registration $15 from
Nels Anderson, 92 Bishop Dr., Framingham, MA 01701): Another
76
Electronic Frontier
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
beautiful EGA/VGA game from Nels Anderson. This one features
the player as a fly swatter up against a horde of flies (and occasional
other bugs), but it's more than an action game. You also have to
think about what you're doing, because the fly carcasses get in the
way of winning as you go along. Beautiful graphics, fast action,
three levels of play, and support for mouse, joystick and keyboard
make this a definite winner. (IBM)[ASP]
•TOTAL INVESTOR (Shareware on FF BBS; registered version
$45 for 1-2-3 or $50 for Symphony): I can't actually review this one,
since I lack the specialized knowledge and software to try it out,
but I can at least let you know about it. Total Investor is designed
for people interested in seriously managing their portfolio of
securities. There are two different versions, one for use with Lotus
1-2-3 and the other for Symphony. Either one will chart your stocks
and help you make decisions based on technical indicators such as
momentum or relative strength. Total Investor will keep track of
historical prices, and can also be ordered with an add-in to retrieve
prices automatically from Compuerve or Dow Jones News Retrieval.
(IBM)[ASP]
•Victoria ADAM User Group Smart Basic Pack (VAUG, do Karl
Johanson, 4129 Carey Rd, Victoria, British Columbia, V8Z-4G5
CANADA. $15 digital data pack ape; $12 5 1/4" disk.)
When Mike agreed to add ADAM software to the sorts being
reviewed and to let me be the reviewer, he stated he did not expect
to get any in as he had not heard any requests for such ever. I
am very pleased to see that MY expectations, rather than his, were
met & we have the first FF ADAM software review.
Since Coleco abandoned the ADAM, most of the software
developed for use on this versatile machine has come out of users
groups such as the Victoria Adam Users Group & many many
others. As with any hobbyist group, the quality varies widely, but
the price is very low. This collection requires Smart Basic (tm), the
ADAM version of Basic which everyone who has an ADAM should
have. It includes 17 programs, of which 6 are games (Dungeon,
Lrdungeon, Eliza, Reversi, Hilightrun, & LRlightrun) ); 1 is an
advertisement for other software by this same group (Advert); 2 are
doc files (explanatory text) for 2 of the games (Dungeondoc &
LRDungdocs) ; the rest are graphics or something else.
The games are interesting and fun to play, albeit rather
rudimentary in today's market. Dungeon is a simple text adventure,
a scaled-down variant on the "Advent" sort of game that was the
rage when I was discovering computer games for the first time a
decade ago. It runs well, even on the plain Adam that I have.(Many
of the newer programs being written for the Adam assume the
presence of expanded memory. It is nice to see a game that runs
fast without that.) Lrdungeon is a more graphic game, being a
low-resolution game of the pinball arcade sort. Eliza is the
much-ballyhooed "pyschiatrist on a disk" program that allows you
to "talk" to the computer & get back responses like "Tell me more
about that" and "How does that make you feel." Reversi is a version
of the game marketed in the US under the name Othello, altho the
game itself is apparently world-wide and public domain. Hilightrun
and LRlightrun make use of the game controllers and pit one
opponent against another in completing colored lines on the screen.
The advert is for Star Trek related games & graphics, which are
also available from the same source at the same price. It shows a
fair to middling "Enterprise" and the info on ordering same.
The docs are a nice feature, as so many games are thrust onto
the market without a hint of explanation, leaving the player to
stumble along and try to puzzle it out on their own.
The graphics do a good job of showing the capabilities of the
ADAM, especially when hooked up to a color television and they
go far beyond (he graphics programs provided by Coleco in its
"Home Software Library" collection. That said, I found myself unable
to get HI-RES to load from the tape and the fellow whom I loaned
the disk to for checkout was unable to get LOWRES to load. I was
also in a puzzle as to what LIFE was about, as it appeared to be
a graphics program—but inputing the asked for variables did not
result in any visible screen output. Other than these problems, I
found the graphics programs interesting and enjoyable. Both Paul
Russell, librarian for the MidSouth Adam Users Group & the person
who put the disk through its paces, and I found a need for more
docs on the graphics. A bit of explanation as to how this works
and how to do something similiar would have been most welcome
on the graphics programs. If we had taken the time to puzzle out
the Basic program listings, we could perhaps have made more sense
of these offerings, but a user should not have to read code to get
maximum use from a program.
One other quibble: Reversi was very easy to beat. I played it a
dozen times and won every time. As I am not that good at Othello,
I can only conclude that the program is even worse. Some
improvement to this game would make the tape even more
worthwhile.
All in all, I would say this one is worth the cost, altho Paul
states most users groups probably have many (if not all) of these
programs already. If you are not hooked up with a user group and
you have an Adam, this is one place to start acquiring software for
our beloved orphan. (Adam)(Guest review by Tim Gatewood)
★★★★★
And here's a few places you can get shareware if you're not
fortunate enough to own a modem yet. Dates shown are when we
last received any information from them. Those with no date are
from before April 1991:
Abstract Shareware (4a, Silchester Road, Pamber Heath,
basingstoke, Hants, RG26 6EA, UK) features a diskette-catalog which
will present you with a list of files on screen, let you tag the ones
you want, figure out how many diskettes it will take and even print
the order on your laser printer. (4/91)
Amy Today (640 Willowglen Rd., Santa Barbara, CA 93105) was
recommended by a correspondent as the best place for Amiga
shareware, at $2 per disk. (Amiga)
Connections comes from Action Linkage, PO Box 684, Bangor,
ME 04402 and has a selection of Mac shareware available. Send
SASE for more info.
Daniels Shareware (PO Box 376, Cameron, WI 54822) will send
you their catalog on diskette for $3 on 5.25 or $4 on 3.5, and you
get a $5 credit slip if you actually order something from the catalog.
It's all IBM-based stuff. (4/91)
DOS! stands for Data Outlet Shareware (PO Box 776, Macon,
GA 31202-0776). They carry a whole mess of programs in a
well-indexed catalog for only $3.50 per disk, and have a toll-free
ordering line at 800-347-4306.
Folio Shareware (Westbrook Works, Bradford, BD1 2DX, UK) has
a very flashy on-disk catalog (it did, however, lock my computer
up at one point when I got bored with the script and hit
Control-Break). It includes reviews of the products, "What is
Shareware", and even a maddening air traffic controller shareware
game. (4/91)
PC-SIG (1030-D E. Duane Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086) maintains
a large library with many of the most popular programs and also
publishes SHAREWARE magazine. Members get a $2 discount on
disks ordered from PC-SIG. (IBM)
Public Software Library (PO Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705)
stocks a lot and publishes a monthly magazine about shareware, of
which you can get a sample copy for $2. (4/91)
Reasonable Solutions (2101 W. Main St., Medford,, OR 97501)
tries to carry only the best, so they keep their stock down to about
250 programs. They've got good stocks of Windows and Word
Perfect add-ins, among other things. $4 per disk for 1-9, $3 for 10
or more. (IBM)
Shareware Elite (25 Cades Parc, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 8QS)
is the only distributor in the British Isles that I have heard from
directly. They sent us the September update to their nifty hypertext
catalog on a 3 1/2" diskette, with descriptions of 700+ titles, graphic
screens from new additions to their library, a list of popular disks
and much more. Fun to play with, and a nice reference on the state
of Shareware. Others report that Softcell Services (9 Wells Road,
Riverside, Cardiff, CF1 8DW) and Software Link (5a Manchester
Road, Denton, Manchester M34 3JU) are good to deal with. (IBM)
Shareware Express (27601 Forbes Rd. #37, Laguna Niguel, CA
92677), a company that marks programs down from $4.95 to $2.95
for special sales, and takes orders toll-free at 800-346-2842. (IBM)
Sizzleware (PO Box 6429, Lake Charles, LA 70606), a shareware
distributor with a reasonably good stock and a price of $1.99 per
diskette plus shipping. If you write they might send you a catalog.
(IBM)
The Software Labs (3767 Overland Ave. #112-115, Los Angeles,
CA 90034) offers, a wide variety of programs starting at $3.49 a disk
for single quantities. (IBM)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Poetry Reviews
77
Steve Abee, DIE FOR LOVE ($2 from 1408 N. Curson, Los
Angeles, CA 90046): Poetry anchored firmly in the experience of the
natural world. Steve seems to deeply feel a connection with the
world, as well as a connection with Christ, and both come through
in his free-form, fl owing poetry. Stuff to think ab out. (D-27r/MG)
Ron Androla, A MUTATED AMERICAN DRAMA ($5 from
Translucent Tendency Press, 3226 Raspberry, Erie, PA 16508): A fine
collection of Ron's down and dirty working class poetry. He writes
of and from a culture of bars and rudeness and passing sexual
encounters and occasional epiphanies prompted by the shape of
American culture. Bursts of rage echo between stretches of
observation. (D-40t /MG) __
ARROYO Encore issue (50* (?) from Rane Arroyo, PO Box 7157,
Pittsburgh, PA 15213): A pair of poems here, one each from Rane
Arroyo and Glenn Sheldon, who seem to be popping up quite a
bit in the small press. These longish poems are both award winners,
with Glenn's being the more convoluted and Rane's a nice piece of
historical expositio n. (S-6t/MG) _
D.S. Black, OIL BLACK HUMOR ($1 (?) from Atlantis Express,
537 Jones St. #9156, San Francisco, CA 94102): A small selection of
anti-war and related poems. His updated "Milton '91" struck a chord
for me, the stately nonsense of war most boldly reve aled. (HL-8t/MG)
BLANK GUN SILENCER #1 ($2 from Dan Nielsen, 1240 William
St., Racine, WI 53402): A new poetry mag out on the borders of
the wastelands somewhere, mixing old and new names. John Yamrus
is one of the new voices (at least to me), but his no-capitals poetry
captures well some of the depression of life on the edge. Joel Dailey
and Gerald Lockli n are among the more familiar f aces. (D-28r/MG)
Jonathan Brannen, SIRLOIN CLOUDS ($1 & a stamp from Geof
Huth, 317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): A collection of
short visual poems, where the form of the poem and the words
interlock well. One of my favorites is simply "heartheartheart".
"noem" is also fu n, if paradoxical. (M-16t/MG)
Les Bridges, THE COLOR OF BLOOD ($1 CASHIStamps for 3
chaps including this one from Steven Hatman, 1610 Avenue P #6-B,
Brooklyn, NY 11229): More street-smart observational poems from
Les. Whether it is a relative committing suicide out of grief or a
trip on the night bus, his sharp, pungent descriptions do a perfect
job of capturing the moment. (HS-8/MG) _
THE CAFE REVIEW Vol. 2 #3 ($2 from Yes Books, 20 Danforth
St., Portland, ME 04101): A monthly collection of poetry, tending
towards the finely crafted end of the spectrum, often with many
layers of meaning packed inside. #3 includes more Mad Girl work
from Lyn Lifshin, a convoluted post Viet Nam poem from Roy
Zarucchi, and intri cate work by Dan Raphael. (D-3 2t/MG)
THE CAMBODUNUM CHAPBOOK COMPANION ($2 from
Steve Sneyd, 4 Nowell Place, Almondbury, Huddersfield, West
Yorkshire, HD5 8PB, ENGLAND): This is not precisely poetry; rather
it is about poetry. More precisely, it is a compilation of titles and
dates for chapbook poetry collections issued over the last several
decades by poets connected with Huddersfield. The inside back cover
reproduces a curiosity, a good example of the news-based "disaster
poem", concerning a train wreck. (D-12/MG) _
Stephen Ciacciarelli,SHE SAID ($4.00 from Jose Padua, 44 Avenue
B #4A, New York, NY 10009): Private poems which have no particular
theme except for the poet's impressions on a wide variety of subjects.
I found some of the poems to be a bit inaccessible because of their
private nature. They have a New York City feel to them—impersonal
yet probing. (D-16 /CG) __
COFFEEHOUSE POETS' QUARTERLY Spring 1991 ($2 from PO
Box 15123, San Luis Obispo, CA 94306): The title is a nice touch;
it's easy to imagine most of these poets somewhere, scribbling away
in their little notebooks. Ray Foreman writes a cool spiel with "Of
Men and Wars and Cigarettes" while Will Inman takes the reader
to a homeless shelter. Plenty more to choose from too. On the
serious, non-experi mental side. (D-36t/MG) _
Jo Cohen, FIRES (25* & a stamp from Ether Telegrams, 2108
15th Ave., Phenix City, AL 36867): Simple direct poetry, of dancing
in the streets, metaphorical fires in a life, good times and bad times.
The importance of family is the underlying theme . (M-8/MG)
COKEFISH Apr. 1991 ($4 from Ana Pine, PO Box 683, Long
Valley, NJ 07853): This one tends to be an overwhelming read; Ana
uses a shoehorn to fit more and more material into each issue,
leading to a certain feeling of drowning in new poetry. A few
poems, like whitecaps, catch the eye as I'm going down: Larry
Blandino having dinner with a feminist, Richard Kostelanetz exploring
the resonances of language, Arthur Winfield Knight with a man far
gone in alcohol an d despair. (S-42/MG) _
THE CONVICT Vol. 1 #1 ($1 from Media Queen, 8825 Roswell
Rd. #474, Atlanta, GA 30350): This is not some imitation of life in
prison. Rather, it's the real thing, poetry written in prison by
convicted killer Snake Woolum. He tends to concentrate on what
made him what he is today, bad upbringing, the terrible circum¬
stances he's in, the frail hope that he might get out again. (D-8t/MG)
David Craig, PITY US WHITE BOYS ($1 from Mole" Magazine,
PO Box 5033, Herndon, VA 22070): A selection of poetry with a
few bits of short prose thrown in, all seeming to come from an
adolescent insecure background. Craig dreams of a zit-popping
contest, writes of fear and guilt, and explores the inadequacies of
life in the suburbs . (D-16/MG) _
THE DAVID THOMAS ROBERTS BROADSIDE #6 (SASE from
PO Box 5243, Kreole Sta., Moss Point, MS 39563): Four poems and
a surreal drawing, all from David. "Charming material past its known
potential" is one line wrenched out of context, but somehow it
captures what's go ing on here. (S-2/MG) _
William Dockery, FELT (50* from 2108 15th Ave., Phenix City,
AL 36867): A few shifting poems from Dockery. The lead, untitled
piece is the most developed, an eerie watery poem of a strange
mythology in a world where the angels are apparently the bad gys.
(M-8r/MG) _
Mark DuCharme, LIFE COULD BE A DREAM ($2.50 from Last
Generation Press, 2965 13th St., Boulder, CO 80304): A collection of «
dreamy pieces, cutup poems, weird streaming pieces that are only
poems by virtue of an awkward split into lines. Structure seems to
predominate over meaning here, the juxtaposition of images more
important than an y coherent plot. (S-60/MG) _
DUSTY DOG Vol. 2 #1 ($4 from PO Box 1103, Zuni, NM 87327):
A thrice-yearly elegant review of poetry. In this issue Hugh Fox's
longish "Father of the Bride" stands out, while Harold Witt's short
"Mrs. Asquith Decides She Shouldn't Read Yeats Before Bedtime"
is an amusing little jaunt. Also out in April was an "Additional
Issue" which adds chapbook reviews and announces plans to
transform into an annual zine with chapbooks betw een. (D-32t/MG)
Cynthia Farar, SUN ON THE WOOD MAN DIES ($3.50 from
Serrano-Lantana Press, 3321 E. 1st St., Austin, TX 78702): The title
aptly demonstrates the trouble I have with this book: it's just too
darned poetic. Cynthia has clearly crafted her words for effect here,
and the imagery I can untangle is striking, but the phrases carry
so much information in so little space as to be overwhelming. I did
appreciate the lead poem in the "Justice" section, though; it just
required some wo rk. (D-36t/MG) r _
Ray Foreman, OF MEN AND WARS AND CIGARETTES ($2
from Blue Feather Press, PO Box 15123, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406):
Foreman is an observer of the human condition, and his poems are
focused on humans, whether they be trying to die with dignity or
78
Poetry Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
living with fervor. "Walt Whitman Meets the Doctors Frankenstein"
is a look at the pl ace of the poet in our society t oday. (D-32t/MG)
Celestine Frost, THE CHOICE (PO Box 6877, New York, NY
10128-0008): An intricate poem which seems to revolve mainly around
the annoying responsibility of freedom—I think. Naming the birds
in Genesis comes into it, along with children growing up and leaving
the nest, and othe r images, loosely connected. (D -18t/MG)
Gobi & White Boy, ZOMBIE MAN IT AIN'T MY PLAN TO
FEED MY CHILDREN TO YOUR CLAN ($2 (?) from Colander Man
Publishing, PO Box 18754, Rochester, NY 14618): A collection of
poetry, mainly (I think) by Gobi, with an insert from Weinman. The
poetry is something like cut-up erotica, with several poems appearing
in multiple version s. A weird dreamy riff. (D-16r/M G)
GRAPEVINE Vol. V #1 ($1 (?) from 1946 Wheaton, Claremont,
CA 91711): A collection of poetry and artwork that seems to be
informed by a Christian worldview. There is much here about
stopping to enjoy life, being aware of what's going on, and similar
subjects. The work seems careful and at times a bit didactic.
(S-14t/MG) _
HAMMERS #3 ($4 from doublestar press, 1718 Sherman #205,
Evanston, IL 60201): A selection of contemporary poetry, fairly
mainstreamish, and eschewing too much experimental work. They
also don't mind publishing fairly long poems and giving them room
to breathe. Jeffrey Spahr-Summers scores with "Mary Jane Doesn't
Live Here Anymore", while Robert P. Beveridge provides the
amusing "Conversation With Plato Over a Bottle of Sambuca"—and
those are just two of many. (S-44t/MG) _
THE HARTLAND POETRY QUARTERLY Vol.l #4(Contact 168
S. Fremont, Romeo, MI 48065): Traditional poetry deeply rooted in
romantic images and sentiment. Many of the poets write of love
and loss, while others speak of loneliness, the seasons and baseball.
Also very good p oetry reviews. (D-30t/CG) _
Michael Hathaway,GOD POEMS (Three first class stamps from
Mulberry Press, POBox 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): A collection of
personal God poems from the editor ofCHIRON REVIEW. They are
highly personal, which makes them eminently more readable—kind
of like spirituality with more than a dose of the human touch. I
loved the questions he asks about heaven in Sunday school:"do you
mean/i could ride dinosaurs/& sing with Mama Cass?" (D-14/CG)
Terri Havens, STUCK (SASE & a stamp from 301 Court St.,
Little Valley, NY 14755): A mini chapbook of poetry that seems a
bit less angry than some of Terri's more Gothic pieces. It's still
definitely in the dark and gloomy vein, but the more resigned sorrow
of a vampire at dawn. (M-8/MG)
Michael Helsem, CONYGRY ($1 from 1031 De Witt Cir., Dallas,
TX 75224): "A volquardsyn lipogram in riming triads". The only part
of that which I can elucidate is that this entire structured poem was
written without the letter "e". All manner of foreign terms creep
in, and the rhythm reminds me of, say Dante—or something equally
classic and tough to penetrate nowadays. (HL-28/MG)
Sister Mary Ann HennJIGSAW SOLVER andNUN-HUMAN
($2.50 each (?) from Sr. Mary Ann Henn, St. Benedict's Convent,
St. Joseph, MN 56374): Very personal poems from the days and
thoughts of Sister Mary Ann, mostly about what it's like to be a
nun. Which is fascinating, especially for those of us who still view
them as saintly, mysterious beings. Family reactions, identity
questions, the calm and the storm of it all, questions from friends
and relatives and sometimes anger-tinged replies populate these
poems. There's also a touching sequence of feelings about the faith
she has in herself and how she views her life ("like a lace").
(D-24/CG) _
Crag Hill, READING HIS MARGIN ($2.50 from Geof Huth, 317
Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): A collection of terse poetry
from Hill, who tends to elevate structure well over meaning...though
the skeletalness here tends to make it easy to read your own meaning
into things like "One sentence with two main verbs/stares at his
shoes." (HS-12t/MG)_
Erin Hooper, FOR THE CAUSE OF GRAVITY IS WHAT I DO
NOT PRETEND TO KNOW ($2 (?) from 3331 Quartz Ln. D4,
Fullerton, CA 92631): Short poems from Erin, many informed but
not dominated by her Christian faith, and with illustrations by Korey
Maas and Pamela Stoughton. Lots of bits of love lost and found
here, as well as the continuing search for a still small center.
(D-48/MG) _
Tom House, I AINT RETARDED BUT... ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): A couple of snappy street
poems from the seedy side of society. Tom hits the bars and the
docks, with a combination of braggadocio and desperation in his
voice. The poetry of the lost people. (D-8/MG)
Albert Huffstickler, PEOPLE ($2 from Sigh Press, 1204 W. 9th,
Austin, TX 78703): Huffstickler has retired, and is combining new
poems and old in chapbooks at an increasing rate. This is a good
one, looks at people from a big man touched by death to a frail
but strong Mexican girl. His distinction between poets and failed
novelists is quite a musing. (D-16t/MG) _
Albert Huffstickler, WHEN TO COOK A POT OF PINTO BEANS
($5 from 312 E. 43rd St. #103, Austin, TX 78751): A single poem
from Albert, presented broadside fashion on 11x17 heavy stock. (The
price covers mailing in a tube). It enumerates some of the times in
life when you will find this elemental food beneficial; pinto beans
seem to be a sort of modem talisman in this case . (O-lt/MG)
IMPETUS ($3.00 Sample copy from Cheryl Townsend, 4975
Comanch Trail, Stow, OH 44224[make checks payable to Cheryl
Townsend]): Cheryl must have to go through piles and piles of
poetry to compile this journal of poetry from a wide spectrum of
contributors, most of which brings about a feeling of "Hey, even I
can appreciate poetry." This is readable and mostly absent of that
manipulation that's present in so many poets. Especially good were
the offerings of Albert Huffstickler in his ode to old women's private
parts and Pat Mc Kinnon's "My Father is a Lesbian ." (HL-52r/CG)
IN REMEMBRANCE #7 ($1.50 from Jenny Soup, PO Box
1168-584, Studio City, CA 91604): A collection of somewhat gloomy
poetry interspersed with intricate reproduced engravings and
wallpaper backgrounds. The effect is something like High Gothic,
downbeat stuff presented with perfect correctness, the stiff upper
lip slowly dissolvi ng beneath the cares of the wor ld. (20t/MG)
iota #13 ($1.25 CASH from David Holliday, 67 Hady Crescent,
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 0EB, ENGLAND): A poetry quarterly
featuring works from both sides of the Atlantic. They print a variety
of work, including D. Whippman's condensed history in "Troy: The
Facts" and William Imra/s brief look at a Cornish legend. Good
for browsing. (D-3 2/MG) _
Bruce Isaacson,THE NEW ROMANTICS ($4.00 from Apathy Press
Poets, 2924 E. Coldspring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21214): Impressive
perceptions of the poet's life that sound familiar only because many
of us have had similar thoughts and didn't have the talent to record
them in just the right way. Isaacson is a poet, and yet he writes
about those phony poets with cheek and grace ("what can we do
with these people?") He also defies ordinary poetry (hurrah!) by
stating that his own personal life doesn't interest him, [yours] does,
and writes with pretty aching compassion about the myriad of "places
to put your tenderness" (e.g.Tn a tall blonde woman who wears
sadness like a per fume"). Gratifying poetry. (D-18 t/CG)
IT'S THE THIRD WORLD AFTER ALL #1 ($1.75 from Dale
Karvonen, PO Box 218, Painesdale, MI 49955): Well, this one is
actually from Dayl Fenderson, but he takes checks in the other
name. It's about the only Fenderson zine I've seen, mostly poetry
with some collage and other goodies. Bizarre and twisted are words
that spring to mind here. (D-32/MG)
IZBORNIK #2 (Contact Serg Homenko, str. Strjska 52-12, 290026
Lviv, Ukraina, USSR): I think this poetry is on the experimental
side, since they mention "retrofuturism" in their cover letter. But I
sure can't tell for sure, because it is entirely in Russian. A classy
obscurity, or more for those of you who actually read the stuff.
(D-12/MG) __
Lisa Janssen, BLONDES HAVE MORE FUN ($3 (?) from Poets
With Jobs, 1821 17th, Boulder, CO 80302): These short blurts seem
to be some sort of automatic writing, passing with dreamy ease
from one subject or image to another, sometimes switching in the
middle of a sentence. "Sounds like it's coming from inside a goddamn
tin can, not Mahler's last complete dance suite in tandem with ivory
tower Rapunzels. What was the stuff she ate anyway." (D-60t/MG)
Vampyre Mike Kassel, I WANT TO KILL EVERYTHING ($4
from Zeitgeist Press, 4368 Oiedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611):
Kassel writes tough poems about tough times—and tough critics, a
few of which he responds to here (hint: he's defiantly politically
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Poetry Reviews
79
incorrect). The streets are here, and the winos, the lowest bars and
the people in them—as well a serious issues about freedom, liberty
and dignity. (D-20t/MG)
Kermit, A TRAILER PARK OF THE MIND ($2.50 CASH from
Splotch! Publications, 805 Poleline #4, Davis, CA 95616): A collection
of freeform poems and short prose pieces. Kermit writes about
confused young love, the boring lives of most Americans, and
sad/funny occurences. A good observer with things to say and an
honest way of say ing them. (D-20t/MG) _
LAB NOTES Apr. 1991 ($1 from What Hiss Music, PO Box
24155, Winston-Salem, NC 27114-4155): A journal of poetry, creative
writing, and drawings...still mostly poetic in nature. This issue's
centerfold of mad ness and peace is especially goo d. (HL-8/MG)
Pete Lee,WHAT THE MOON HEARS ($1.50 from K. Emil
Erickson, 2304 Pinebrook Lane, Des Moines, WA 98198-7553):
Conceptive, cerebral poetry that lets you into the poet's mind and
lets you roam around a bit. Much of it is self-referential and
introspective, one of note is not—a rather sad account of domestic
violence in a traile r park. (D-26/CG) _
David Lemer, THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DEAD ($$2 (?)
from Grace St. Press, PO Box 5481, San Francisco, CA 94101): A
look out at the American scene in the 1990s, which ends up as a
more or less apocalyptic vision for the turn of the century, "this is
an emergency/I am getting reports that/bets are being placed/on
which of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse/will come in first"
says the poet at one point, at another addressing "hey you, leaning
on that lamp post like^ames Dean with radiation poisoning". If we
can't have hope, a t least we can keep our style. (HL-36t/MG)
Dominique Lowell, PILE ($2 (?) from Grace St. Press, PO Box
5481, San Francisco, CA 94101): A chapbook of gritty inner-city
performance poetry, including one piece ("Bike Messenger Leading
the People") which is a splendid job of rabble-rousing, inspired by
Detroit's Devil's Night. Dominique is great at building up tension
and raging against the system, and should inspire anyone who is
fed up. (HS-18t/MG)_
MAINE STREET NEWS #4 ($1 (?) from Spindleworks, 76 Maine
St., Brunswick, ME 04011): "An artist journal from Spindleworks. I
don't know what Spindleworks is, but the group-written poems here
have some of the same charm one finds in THE DUPLEX PLANET.
The back cover poem about Saddam Hussein—suggesting he be put
in a Mexican prison—was oddly delightful in spite of the topic.
(D-16r/MG) _
Claire McMahon,FREE LEMON JOB ($3.00 from Publish Every¬
body! Press, 1821 17th St., Boulder, CO 80302): Poems of scenic
distinction describing memory, relationships, the state of poetics and
lots and lots of New York City scenes. Some poems lean towards
an overpowering attention to NYC, which may detract from their
original intent. The memory love poem to an older sister is best (I
think). (D-36t/CG) _
Joan McMenomey,MOOD SWINGS ($2.00 from Implosion Press,
4975 Comanche Trail, Stow, OH 44224): Real-life, gutsy verse about
a sad-like childhood, a perspective about the modem woman's life
and its insanities, falseness, and masked meaning. Love doesn't
always win out, but we're stuck with our version of ourselves and
the rest of th e world—which is what I retrieved from reading these
poems. Great line: "Never go to bed with a man/whose sheets look
like graph paper." Excellent. (D-24/CG) _
Philips Miller, GEORGE GRAND ($2 (?) from Samisdat, Merritt
Clifton, do The Animal's Agenda. 456 Monroe Tpke., Monroe, CT,
06468): A collection of alcoholic poems from an ex-alcoholic (at least
the narrator is—and, one presumes, the poet as well). Miller does
an excellent job of capturing the feelings, the pointless deterioration
of life, but most especially the omnipresent longing to go back to
drinking after one has stopped. I know. (D-24t/MG )
Frederick Moe, AWAKE PAST MIDNIGHT ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278): There's definitely a good
deal of craft here, and a theme running throughout: amnesia and
memory is what seems to fascinate the poet. This ranges from
"Lindberg's Crate", a memory of an object, to "Hooks", quick flashes
back ten years to high school. (D-12/MG) _
Timothy Monaghan, DEPLETION ($1 for 3 different chaps from
Pinched Nerves Press do S. Hartman, 1610 Ave. P #6-B, Brooklyn,
NY 11229): A single longish poem, from the poet to a somewhat
dissipated friend
who is also a
poet. A snap¬
shot of a life
ground down by
being trapped in
New York City.
(HS-8/MG)
M a t h e a u
David Moore,
SINCE NO¬
VEMBER ($1 (?)
from The Bubela
Press, 539 J At¬
lantic Ave.,
Williamstown,
NJ 08094): A col¬
lection of poetry
and photos,
both by
Matheau. The
works tend to¬
wards observa¬
tion of nature
and people,
often ending on
a questioning
note—the poet
not professing to
any more perfect
knowledge than
the listeners have. (D-28/MG) _ —- _
Sheila C. Murphy.A RICH TIMETABLE AND APPENDICES
(Contact Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 Leland Ave., Columbus, OH
43214): Unusual and experimental poetry with almost hallucenogenic
images and deep inner thoughts and emotions. Very cerebral.
Double-issue shari ng space with poet Stacey Sollfr ey. (D-20/CG)
Mychele, SURVIVING ($1 from PO Box 82344, Phoenix, AZ
85071-2344): This is Mychele's second booklet of poems, sharp
screams at the world. The attitude is one of defiance, standing strong
despite a life that just isn't fair. Very heady, emotional stuff.
(D-12t/MG) _
Richard Neubauer,THE COLORS I CHOOSE ($2.00 from Richard
Neubauer, 3963 North Creek Road, Palmyra, NY 14522): I always
tend to think of Richard's poetry as being very atmospheric. These
include some prose poems that stand out in that they feel like
someone is telling us about the guys sitting at the bar watching
basketball game, or the ostracized woman who was murdered, or
even how the poet himself feels about his own death with much
grace. (D-12/CG) _
NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND #5-6 ($3.50 from Mark
DuCharme, 2965 13th St., Boulder, CO 80304): "Alternative Writing"
featuring a mix of the usual suspects 0ohn Bennett leading off #6,
Sheila E. Murphy, Nico Vassilakis) and new voices from the fringe.
The editor is concerned to avoid the Bukowski imitations, and he
manages that, but at the cost of slipping further into the inscrutable
and runic end of new poetry. (S-30/MG)
□OPEN 24 HRS #7 ($3 from Buck Downs, 707 S. 20th St.,
Arlington, VA 22202): An eclectic literary zine of primarily poetry
with some unusual and intriguing short prose as well, in both a
traditional and experimental vein. The works of Pat McKinnon, John
McNally and Jeffrey Zable stand out, but not to the exclusion of
the rest. (S-16/CG)__
Jose Padua, STRANGE DREAMS ($4 from 44 Avenue B #4A,
New York, NY 10009): Nifty poetry from someone who looks at
the world and sees UFOs and strip joints and futility rather than
boring stuff like televisions and trees. There's a great poem in this
volume about rats and men, as well as the other inhabitants of the
underbelly of the world. (D-20t/MG)
PEARL Spring/Summer 1991 ($5 from 3030 E. Second St., Long
Beach, CA 90803): A few short stories and some artwork here, but
mainly it is poetry, lots of it, with an ear for the sensitive. Catherine
Lynn catches the spirit of modern teen rebellion perfectly in "You
do the Best You Can", while Lizbethh Parker's "Like Crescent
80
Poetry Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Moons", a whole section of breast cancer poems, are awesomely
touching. (D-70t/MG)_
□POETRY BREAK March/April 1991($2.00 from POBox 417,
Oceanside, CA 92049-0417): Conventional and traditional poems from
around the country. Most speak of love and relationships—either
family or religious. Mostly gentle, unthreatening verses. Also a
feature on "The Once a Week Oasis," a writer's support group—with
featured poems from within the collective. The print gets muddy
and hard to read in places. (HL-32r/CG) _
POETRY OF THE PEOPLE Feb.-Mar. 1991 ($1 from Paul Yerima,
PO Box 13077, Gainesville, FL 32604): A mini of poetry, most from
new voices, and longish. I liked the March issue, a single poem by
Paul himself, "Rev. Angel Dust Speaks", a wild street preacher social
justice rant. (M-8t/ MG) _
THE POETRY PROJECT #141 ($20/yr from The Poetry Project,
St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, 131 E. 10th St., New York, NY
10003): This one is more meta-poetry than poetry—that is, critical
essays and reviews—although they do publish some poems, and
they are apparently carefully chosen. This issue focuses on
improvisation, with transcripts of some improv work and several
essays on the the ory behind it. (S-28t/MG) _
POLITE CHAOS ($3 from Smiling Dog Press, Dean Creighton,
9875 Fritz, Maple City, MI 49664): A very classy letterpress edition
of some of our modem marginal poets, hand-printed and featuring
linoleum blockprint illustrations. Kurt Nimmo wanders into an odd
relationship, Robert A. Nagler explores the desert, Ron Androla
reduces the modem situation to its stark pointlessness. Very fine
work. (M-22t/MG)_
PORTRAIT OF KALI (60* & SASE from Liz Camps, Freelance
Press, PO Box 8551 Dept. 55, FDR Sta., New York, NY 10022): A
single story told in short poetic outbursts. It starts out as middle
of the road sex, but then grows progressively weirder, until at last
the male is completely devoured. A threat to male domination.
(M-24/MG) _
Roderick Potter, GARSH (We Press, PO Box 1503, Santa Cruz,
CA 95061): Potter writes love poems, more or less, but he is pretty
unclear about them. One might be a series of vignettes of everyday
actions; the next an image of cutting whispers in the dark. Flowing
rhythms, more fee ling than thought. (HL-12r/MG)
Etienne Brook Preston, BIRTHDAY BOOK OF PQEMS ($2 from
1736B Mason St., San Francisco, CA 94133): Small poems which
seem to have a lot of meaning packed into them that doesn't want
to pry free. Preston combines words in ways that are just short of
random, enough tie-ins to convey the feeling of sense without the
complete experienc e. (D-lOt/MG) _
Michael Randall,PORK AND OTHER POEMS ($4.00 from Jose
Padua, 44 Avenue B #4A, New York, NY 10009): Poems that combine
a gritty sexual atmosphere and the realism of living in a city. The
unfortunate woman who mistakes sexual arrogance for love, the
woman who cries out "Dick" on the subway, or the woman who
asks if she can "borrow the [pool] stick." "Pork" stands out from
the others—it's scary and gross and riveting and probably all too
real (though not many would probably admit it). (D-20/CG)
RAW SACKS ($4.00 ppd. from Terry A. Garey, 3149 Park Ave.S.,
Minneapolis, MN55407): A most unusual idea for packaging poetry:
printed on small paper bags and packaged in a larger paper bag.
Very environmentally aware. The poetry itself is laden with fantasy
images, mythical beings, dreams, and the more traditional reflections.
(Bag-15/CG) _
A. Razor, WAR IN THE 13TH HOUR ($1 CASH from DBPL,
3410 First St., Riverside, CA 92501): A poetic reaction to the war
in the Gulf, focused on the actual dead people and on the forces
(in Hollywood, the media, and elsewhere) that glorified it. Stark,
honest, emotional. (D-16/MG)
Kevin Redlake, UNDERTAKERS SLAIN IN THE HELLESPONT
($7 from Nagrom Publishing Company, PO Box 8093, Montgomery,
AL 36110): A book of eerie poetry, much of it concerned with death
and the social conventions surrounding it. Kevin puts together jarring
images that strike strong emotional chords even when they appear
to make no sense. "Windmills on Havoc's Ground Part 2", with its
array of monks, is one gripping poem. (D-36/MG)
Trent Reinsmith, LOVE & HOPE & SEX & DREAMS ($1 from
BNB Publishing, 1337 Chew St., 1st FL, Allentown, PA 18102): A
hand-scrawled chapbook of somewhat anguished poetry. The author
is apparently working out the pain of an aborted relationship,
waffling between anger and sorrow. (D-12/MG)
Elliot Richman, THE WHITE LIGHT SHATTERS (40* & a stamp
from Geof Huth, 317 Princetown Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306): The
title is about half the poem all by itself; the rest is about dragonflies,
and there are dragonfly wings stamped on this mini underneath the
transparent plastic coating. A brief moment of vision. (M-6/MG)
Steve Roth, MOTIONS AND GOOFS ($2 (?) from Poets Without
Jobs, 1705 14th St. #272, Boulder, CO 80302-6365): Steve writes
extremely lyrical stuff, songs of the open spaces of America; I thought
of Carl Sandburg at one point. Quite enjoyed the "Street Bop" and
the crazy surreal disintegration in "i'm fallin apart". (HL-32/MG)
J. Ryan, MOON (75* & a stamp from dbqp, 317 Princetown Rd.,
Schenectady, NY 12306): This is "a drawn photopoem" issued in
the form of a glossy postcard with a rubber-stamped back. Ryan
has pointed a camera at the moon, held the shutter open, and
moved it so the resulting trace spells out "MOON". A curious
multi-level portray al. (M-2/MG) _
Kevin Patrick Sampsell, BEAUTIFUL TEENAGERS UNITE! ($2
from 324 W. 5th #5, Spokane, WA 99204): Poems full of
sexuality—implied or not—the images are pretty strong of sex, smells,
sights and the impressions these things make on the poet's mind.
Can you imagine the impressions that make a grown man sleep in
the park to avoid having cheap sex with a woma n? (D-19r/CG)
Sappho, LESBIAN FRAGMENTS (Thormynd Press, PO Box 700,
Shrewsbury, Shropshire, ENGLAND): A new translation by D.W.
Myatt, which aims to capture both the poetry and the lesbian
impulses in what remains of Sappho's work. 15 selected fragments
are here, from one line to more or less complete poems, in a
translation which seems at the very least flowing and serviceable.
(A4-9/MG) __
Adam H. Schewel, BOURBON MOON CANTOS (AND OTH¬
ERS) ($3 from 2945 De la Vina St. #8, Santa Barbara, CA 93105):
A collection of work from a consistent contributor to SHORT FUSE.
Schewel is a constant presence in his own poems, exploring place
and people, putting forward his distinctly different thoughts about
the world. Solid working-class poetry in tone, although not mired
in the bars and lu mberyards. (D-38r/MG) _
Glen Sheldon, REVOLUTION: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "THE
FIFTH SEASON" IN THE POEMS OF THOMAS McGRATH ($10
perfectbound/$4 stapled from Glenn Sheldon, PO Box 7157, Pitts¬
burgh, PA 15213): This is not a chapbook but a serious study of
One particular American poet. I haven't read McGrath, so it's hard
for me to judge this work, but Sheldon writes well and his dissection
of the political dimension of one body of poems looks interesting.
(S-74/MG) _
THE SKROLL #4 (A couple loose stamps from Terri Havens,
301 Court St., Little Valley, NY 14755): Terri notes that you should
not use the zine name on the envelope if you want your mail to
get through. This is a broadside of Gothic poetry, something to
speak to the pale dark chronicly depressed person within all of us.
Ghosts, weeping flowers, demons, vampires. (L-2/MG)
Kevin Slick, REAPPEARING ($2 (?) from PO Box 11076 Calder
Sq., State College, PA 16805): A cycle of poetry, or a structured
longpoem, or something like that "on the idea of emerging human".
Sound and movement are the important concepts here, reappearing
and recombining throughout the pages in a journey of searching for
the inner self. (S-16t/MG)
Stacey Sollfrey, FEELING THE ROOF OF A MOUTH THAT
HANGS OPEN and Sheila E. Murphy, A RICH TIMETABLE AND
APPENDICES ($2 (?) from Luna Bisonte Productions, 137 Leland
Ave., Columbus, OH 43214): A split chapbook of strange poetry.
Stacey is almost oracular in her pronouncements, coming up with
short, jagged, memorable images. Sheila is much more loquacious,
stringing together long dreamy phrases in apparent cutups. They
meet in the center of the booklet for some jarring collaborations.
(D-24/MG) _
Stacey Sollfrey and Paul Weinman, APPLYING MASCARA TO
OUR UMBRELLA ($2 (?) from Implosion Press, 4975 Comanche Tr.,
Stow, OH 44224): There's no seams here, no separate poems, but
these sound more like Stacey than Paul to me—then again, Paul is
not all White Boy either. Anyhow, as one might expect from
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Poetry Reviews
81
Implosion Press, these are short bursts of erotica, snapshots of bodies
and situations, not hardcore sex but the presence of lust in
everything. (D-20/MG)
Tom Snyders, POETIC LICENSUOUS ($2.50 from 888 Dupont
St. #407, Toronto, ONT, M6G 1Z8, CANADA): Tom's work ranges
from relatively straightforward poems to more involved & interesting
(at least to me) wordplay. "Sum Times" for instance, takes a hard
look at meaning, while "penisword" unpacks that portmanteau in
several different w ays. Also includes a bit of visual p oetry. (D-20/MG)
Sparrow, DENVER and ANIMALS ($1 from 322 E. 11th St. #23,
New York, NY 10003): A pair of minichapbooks with an appealing
handmade look. "Denver" was written out in that direction, and is
devoted mainly to observing in the west, from rude college students
to dating partners. "Animals" is more citified, the strange incongru¬
ities found in and around New York. Open-ended provocative verses.
(M-20/MG) _
SQUIB Vol. 1 #2 ($16/4 issues from PO Box 60019, Edmonton,
AB T6G 2S4, CANADA): This one is mostly poetry, though they
work in a fair amount of art as well—starting with color and real
leaves on the cover. There's a bend towards experimentalism here,
but the poetry still remains firmly rooted in communication rather
than just grandtan ding. (S-66t/MG) _
STAR*LINE Vol. 14 #1 ($10/yr from Chuck and Susan Noe
Rothman, 2012 Pyle Rd., Schenectady, NY 12303): The zine of the
Science Fiction Poetry Association, a group concerned with pursuing
and promoting this unique genre. Storytelling plays a strong part
in these poems, along with strong imagery. This issue also has an
article from David R. Bunch on why he writes the stuff. (S-lOt/MG)
THIRTEEN Vol. IX #3 ($2.50 from PO Box 392, Portiandville,
NY 13834-0392): Lots of poems here, marching in formation across
pages—they pack more in than most journals, with less graphics
and whitespace. Each poet gets from a poem or two to a page or
two, and the emphasis is on more or less traditional works,
carefully-structured poems, not too much experiment. The drawback
of this is that not much seems to really stand out from the plethora
of offerings. (5-40/ MG) _
TIGHT #4 ($3.50 from Ann Erickson, PO Box 1591, Guemeville,
CA 95446): A selection of poems from traditional to modern,
presented in a no-frills format. In this issue A. Razor cuts to the
heart of writing from angst, Paul Weinman sketches the fall of
civilization, and B.Z. Niditch enumerates some of the questionable
charms of Los Angeles. Ann has a good ear for worthwhile works.
(D-72/MG) _
TOO MANY CLOSETS ($2 CASH from DBPL, 3410 First St.,
Riverside, CA 92501): "Various Fag Poets!" reads the cover, and the
guys and gals here make no bones about their sexual preference.
AIDS is a constant shadow hanging over this book, from an opening
poem about being rejected by society to the closing about rejecting
love. Drew Blood, John Pofahl, and Regi Mentel are among the
contributors. (D-32r/MG)
Cheryl A. Townsend, MOTHER TENDED BAR ($1 from Blue
Ryder Press, PO Box 587, Qlean, NY 14760): Strong poetry from
Cheryl focused on her own life, specifically the tough times growing
up. A lot of anger and hurt comes through in these pages, conveying
decades of resent ment in short vignettes. (D-12/MG )
UNION SHOP BLUFF #3 (A couple stamps from Coryza Press,
21A Quebec St., Guelph, ONT, N1H 2T1, CANADA): Weird
experimental poetry, with this issue subtitled "Fart For Peace". The
main course is from F.A. Nettelbeck, who takes a blast at
"Americanization" in obscure terms. Greg Evason and John M.
Bennett also pop i n. (S-2/MG) _
WALKING AND SINNING #2 ($1 from Accelerator Press,
1708 #4 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94709): A selection
of mostly very complex poetry, most revolving around thoughts of
love in one context or another. Lisa Kucharski contributes some
interesting visual workwhile Paul Weinman packs an awful lot into
some tense lines. (D-20t/MG) _
Paul Weinman, Mary Panza, and Richard Darrigo, 3 POETS 1
BED ($1 CASH from Drew Blood Press Ltd., 3410 First St., Riverside,
CA 92501): A poetic menage a trois, with Richard going after both
of the other two poets. Plenty of erotica here, male/female, male/male,
three at once, comparative kissing, and more. A wild exploration.
(D-16/MG) _•
Paul Weinman, ALLY ALLY HOME FREE ($1.50 from Dumpster
Press, PO Box 80044, Akron, OH 44308): A collection of poems by
Paul with illustrations by Dumpster's Wendy S. Duke. They both
focus in on the gritty back alleys, a melange of sex and drugs and
homelessness and alcohol and more. Dirty city poetry, tackling some
of the same issues as White Boy poems but in a somewhat more
serious vein. (P-32 /MG) _
Kathleen Wood, TENDERLOIN ROSE ($4 from Zeitgeist Press,
4368 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611): Poems and short prose,
all tales from the streets of San Francisco where punk collides with
drugs and selling one's body. Kathleen writes of the occasional
moments of tenderness amid much fear and sorrow and anger, and
she doesn't hide fr om the truth. Blunt and scary ma terial. (D-19t/MG)
WORDS #2 ($3 from Nicol A. Kostic, PO BoT”4673, Toledo, OH
43620): A zine of varied poetry, well-presented with complementary
graphics. There's a tale of the human condition as seen in cruelty
to animals, people picking on other people, the boringness of the
word "nice". Goo d stuff here. (D-20/MG) _
A WYMB'S BROADSIDE #3 (50* (?) from 1839 W. Touhy,
Chicago, IL 60626): A single poem by Michael Brownstein, printed
on cardstock with illustrations from Walt Phillips. A quick short
burst of winter th ought. (S-2/MG) _
XENOPHILIA #2 ($3 from Omega Cat Press, 904 Old Town
Ct., Cupertino, CA 95014): A poetry zine dedicated to exploring
other cultures, other lands, other ideas. This issue has work from
the traditional to the science fictional, including a special "vegetable
grace" section which seems to encourage the poets to surreal heights.
Work from Bruce Boston, Herb Kauderer, and David Minton stands
out. (D-48t/MG) _
Zamiat, LETTERS FROM THE WAREHOUSE ($1 from Mulberry
Press, PO Box 782288, Wichita, KS 67278)T"The Warehouse" is the
strongest poem in the whole group, exploring isolation on a physical
level with inner echoes. Many of the other poems here don't quite
make it for me; they seem to reflect private sensations, but not well
enough to discern what's going on for the poet. (D-12/MG)
POETRY NOTES
•Oyster Publications (1003 Ave. X Apt A, Lubbock, TX 79401)
is now reading for their first ever chapbook contest. SASE for details.
/\ better mouse tRa p
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82
One-Shot Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
(untitled) ($1 from Ill-vis Rules, PO Box 1421, New Brunswick,
NJ 08903): This is a mini of erotic sketches from the folks out at
Ill-vis, issued in a limited edition. Mostly it's women in bondage,
with exaggerated equipment that looks pretty painful. (M-8/MG)
THE $400 ECIP GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION GUIDE ($3
from Errol Hess, 245 McDowell St., Bristol, TN 37620): This narrative
and set of plans is designed to help anyone who is moderately
handy add a solar greenhouse to an existing structure. It discusses
the theory before getting into plans, and takes everything step by
step. The author cautions that it was written ten years ago, so prices
are probably too l ow by a factor of two. (S-25/MG )
afungusboy, THE DOG'S NECK and ANCIENT YELLOW EYE
(SASE from PO Box 134, Brockport, NY 14420): A pair of micro
pamphlets from this mail artist, who seems to be turning up more
places all the time. They combine typed captions with rearranged
artwork lifted from other sources, plagiarism combined with a surreal
eye for the world. (MM-12/MG)
ANALECTS OF ATMAN ($5 CASH from Afterglow Books, PO
Box 399, Shingletown, CA 96088): This one has the feeling of a core
dump, with the anonymous author imparting all of his life's wisdom
to the reader. The prime topic seems to be that of letting go and
learning to live, in a somewhat Gurdjieffan mode. Peace, meditation,
competition are all tackled at some length, in aphorisms, poetry,
short essays and short stories, structured as a tangled web.
(S-85r/MG) _
ARMY: THE MURDER WAY TO GO (SASE from Idy, 516 3rd
St. NE, Massillon, OH 44646): An anti-recruiting pamphlet from the
publisher of SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. Using an actual Army
recruiting aid as the base, Idy creates an exhortation to join the
army, meet exotic people, and kill them—unless you get killed
yourself. (L-2/MG)
Zolo Agona Azania, WHO IS THE NEW AFRIKAN? ($2 from
Equal Justice Committee, PO Box 4079, Gary, IN 46404): A pamphlet
tracing the destruction of black pride by whites over the centuries,
and its regrowth now into a New Afrikan consciousness, Azania
argues that slavery acted as a sort of melting pot, combining many
different African t ribes into a New Afrikan people . (D-12/MG)
F.X. Montagu Azathoth, GROWTH OF AN ARTIST GROWTH
OF AN ARTIST(£2 from Counter Productions, PO Box 556, London
SE5 0RL, UK): A delightfully overblown story in the old WEIRD
TALES tradition, celebrating the hundredth anniversary of Lovecraft's
birth and similar occurences. It concerns the ghastly fate of an artist
who takes her alien work a bit too seriously, as witnessed by the
usual staid nebbish. (D-12t/MG)_
L.A.B. ffl, SONS OF SPIES ($5 from 5714 N. 11th St. #1A,
Arlington, VA 22205): A very odd and complex story of Americans
interacting in a lowlife section of Spain. It's got mania, blackmail,
sex (not very normal sex, either), spies and more. L.A.B. weaves a
tapestry so complex that the parts cannot be appreciated, only the
eerie impression left by the whole. (D-28/MG)
BAR-B-Q FOR NEWSDEALERS (IRCs from Electric Knife, PO
Box 108, GR 73110, Chania, GREECE): A collection of collages in a
post-Sit tradition printed in rainbow hues. A typical page has a man
in a fedora snapping a camera towards the reader, captioned,
"INVISIBLE DETECTIVES/Extremely Secret Bureau of Hogs". Actu¬
ally, the captions are all in Greek, but it comes with a handy page
of English translati ons. (P-20/MG) _
BEATS WORKIN' PRESENTS STEP INTO THE WORLD (25* &
a stamp from Arthur A. Lyon, 710 S. 26th, South Bend, IN
46615-2206): A mini of varied arts. It starts out with some poetry
and an invitation to the reader to write more, then has some
sketchbook work. Following this is a philosophical short story, and
the back cover is a minicomic. A nice mix. (M-8/MG)
BLURRED HORIZONS ($2.00 [CASH] from Wolf's Head Press,
POBox 77, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SRI 1EB, ENGLAND): An
accidental hobby that turned out quite well. The artist has taken
pictures of landscapes, outdoor scenes, Holy wells, ancient stones—
and photocopied the results, and enlarged them. They resemble
spray paint portraits and are printed in different colors. Accompanied
with selected quot es. (D-24/CG) _
Helen Caldicott, SAVING THE PLANET ($3.50 from Open
Magazine, Pamphlet Series, POBox 2726, Westfield, NJ 07091):
Always fresh and intelligent, the fourth pamphlet in the series is a
lecture by Caldicott transcribed from a National Radio Broadcast.
Caldicott is a pediatrician and lecturer with some astute perceptions
on our daily life and how to go about "saving" them. This includes
way more than environmental action: there's birth control (it should
be in the water system along with aphrodisiacs), a female Pope,
weaponry, and the simple issue of money destroying the earth. I've
enjoyed this series very much. (P-18t/CG) _
COFFEE...LIFE'S BLACK BLOOD ($1 (?) from Resident, 2288
Hawk, Simi Valley, CA 93065): Anyone familiar withLIFE IS A JOKE
will recognize the familiar layout and love affair the editor has going
with coffee (in which I share the passion involved). This little mini
is an absolute ode to the blessed beverage. Coffee blurbs, poems,
quotes about coffee, letters printed about the evils of decaf, and a
Henry Rollins treat on the effects of caffeine and Black Sabbath in
curing unrequited love. A special treat. (M-16/CG)
COMPLEXES ($2.00 from Dan Nielsen.): A series of careful
collages combining people's body parts from assorted sources. Below
each creation is a sentence that seems to rather give the picture a
name. I particularly like "Gramma Had Visions." (S-20/CG)
A CRIMINAL ASSAULT ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ($3.00 from
Friends of Freedom, 72 Cranbrook Rd., Suite 194, Hunt Valley, MD
21030): A "public warning" about a group known as the Cult
Awareness Network, or [CAN]—an organization who is fervently
opposed to religion. This glossy supplement outlines CAN'S main
legions and their anti-religious acts, while including proposals on
how to combat their actions. (S-24t/CG)
CUT ($5 from Wally Depew, Bright Moments, PO Box 232,
Patagonia, AZ 85624): The latest conceptual chapbook from Wally.
This one features a razor slice running through the pages, doused
with two drops of bright ink which then filter through the book.
Hand-stamped cov er, signed and numbered. (M-20 /MG)
DARIO ARGENTO ($9 from Fantaco, 21 Central Ave., Albany,
NY 12210-1391): Fantaco are the US distributors for this one,
produced in Italy by Argento's own production company. It is a
history, mainly in still pictures, of his career making gory films.
Some real shocking photos and effects here, including a few in full
(mostly red) color. (D-32t/MG)
James N. Dawson, CAPITALISM IN THE SERVICE OF ANI¬
MALS (87* postage from PO Box 613, Redwood City, CA 95470):
This one basically argues that the animal rights movement is throwing
away its economic clout by focusing on cruelty-free products as
business opportunities. Instead the author suggest an entire
alternative econom y owned by ethical vegetarians. (S-3/MG)
DEAD BIRDS ($5 from Wally Depew, Bright Moments, PO Box
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
One-Shot Reviews
83
232, Patagonia, AZ 85624): The bulk of this chapbook consists of
the words "DEAD BIRDS", rubber-stamped in large letters on page
after page. There are a few other changes, but telling you about
them would give away the plot. Another of Wally's more enigmatic
productions. (M-24 /MG) _
DEBRIS ($1 from Doug Chapel Comics, 2 Shirley St. #3,
Worcester, MA 01610-1206): A collection of photocopier artwork from
Dan Courtney. Dan works with images of fame, fortune, modem
culture and inhumanity, putting them all together into multi-layered,
multi-textured prin ts. (P-20/MG) _
X. Sharks DeSpot,THE ADVENTURES OF FOIL-MAN (On
Request from 2225 Montego Dr., Lansing, MI 48912): I missed the
first installment, and this is the second, so bear with me. The story
as I see it, takes place in the near future. Foil-Man has lost his job,
the Mexican girls came back, and now he finds himself wandering
around a mall in the Lansing area in the mid-70s, eating fast
food—and his car gets stolen. Some pretty scary things happen at
the mall. Stay tun ed. (S-7/CG) _
Yael R. Dragwyla, THE TRANSCENDENTAL AND TRANS-UNI¬
VERSE PENTAGRAM RITUALS ($2.50 from PO Box 45792, Seattle,
WA 98145): This paper presents an extension to the various
pentagram rituals of the Golden Dawn. More modern images are
brought in, and the third dimension comes into play. Full of elaborate
correspondences a nd wild references. (S-10/MG)
Gene Duplantier, HIDDEN PLANETS ($4.95 from 17 Shetland
St., Willowdale, ONT, M2M 1X5, CANADA): A collection of news
stories (from sources as diverse as UPI and NATIONAL ENQUIRER)
and condensations that all point to the existence of planets other
than Earth in the universe. Duplantier considers missing plents in
our solar system, the evidence for massive planets around other
stars, and the test imony of contactees. (D-40/MG)
EARTH ($2 (?) from Nu Vu Du Press, PO Box 11076, State
College, PA 16805): Mike Biddison and Kevin Slick have made this
booklet out of the bones, as it were, of other books. With white
and black paint, they mark out all but a few words on each page,
leaving skeletal poetry behind. The juxtapositions are sometimes
quite intriguing, b ut it still feels sacrilegious to me . (D-44/MG)
EASY EYE-GATE ($3.00 plus 9 x 12 SASE from Ross Martin, PO
Box 10355, Portland, ME 04104): A superior collection of collage—kind
of like flipping through the [NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE] ads
at a frantic, hallucenogenic pace. Xerox, art appreciation, and tangled
classical prints figure importantly here with much to ponder.
(S-30/CG)
EVOLUTION AND RELATIVITY PROVE THAT GOD EXITS
(SASE [NOMONEY] from Elizabeth Hensley, PO Box 48122, St.
Petersburg, FL 33743-8122): A two-page pamphlet outlining and
suggesting that evolution and relativity (through curved space and
time) prove that God exists. Interesting speculation on how and
why Heaven exists—one reason is that if it didn't, someone would
build it (the logic being that the distant future is the distant past).
(S-l/CG)
Fafnir, THE GREAT OIL CRUSADE, OR, ENTER, THE NEW
WORLD ORDER ($2 (?) from PO Box 488, Byron, MI 48418): An
analysis of the late war by the folks from the racial right zine FROM
THE MOUNTAIN. They try to sort out the heroes from the
mercenaries, and point out who really won—George Bush, who they
refer to as "Superspook". Some of their comments are pretty
outrageous, but this isn't the hate literature you might expect.
(HL-9r/MG)
THE FANTACO 1991 HORROR YEARBOOK ($4.95 + $2 p&h
[or thereabouts] from Fantaco Enterprises, 21 Central Ave., Albany,
NY 12210): This is in large part a list of what Fantaco has for sale,
but there are also feature articles. This year Censorship is a prime
concern, with articles from Chas Baiun, Sandra Stokey and Mike
Gunderloy on the subject. They've also got checklists for GORE
SHRIEK and FANGORIA, laserdisc reviews, and plenty of pictures.
(S-152t/MG) _
THE FANTASTICALLY FUNDAMENTALLY FUNCTIONAL
GUIDE TO FANDOM FOR FANZINE READERS & CONTRIBU¬
TORS ($3 from Susan M. Garrett, 14B Terrace Ct., Toms River, NJ
08753): Though this one is aimed at media fans in particular, parts
could be useful to those ordering other SF zines, or even zines in
general. Media fandom can be fairly odd (letters of inquiry before
orders are recommended, for example) but the basics of getting and
submitting to zines are the same all over. Includes a glossary of
terms, notes on adzines, how to order by mail, "The fanzine bill
of rights", record-keeping for writers, and more. (HL-57t/MG)
THE FANTASTICALLY FUNDAMENTALLY FUNCTIONAL
GUIDE TO FANDOM FOR FANZINE EDITORS & PUBLISHERS
Vol. II ($8 from Susan M. Garrett, 14B Terrace Ct., Toms River, NJ
08753): Though numbered as Volume II of the above work, this is
actually three booklets—there was just too much to say. Susan covers
(again with an eye towards media fandom) everything from soliciting
work to dealing with printers to selling your final zine. Some of
the problems are unique to the genre (like bootlegging—most of us
would be happy if someone sold copies of our zines) and on a few
points I distrust the advice (her discussion of being a small business
the biggest of these), but on the whole this is an excellent set for
the beginning publisher, in or out of media fandom. If you've been
waiting for the second edition of HOW TO PUBLISH A FANZINE,
stop waiting and buy this instead. (HL-160t/MG)
FORTY SIX INSTRUMENTS OF DESIRE ($1 from Plagiarist
Press, 221 W. Benton St., Iowa City, IA 52246): A small chapbook
consisting entirely of illustrations clipped from some lab equipment
catalog. Anti-copy right. (MM-8/MG) _
GEEK PREVIEWS ($2.52 from Starhead Comics, PO Box 30044,
Seattle, WA 98103): This is a collection of posters for movies that
don't really exist, things like Satan's Plumbing and Attack of the
500 Ft. Hippy. Pretty funny stuff, for those involved in the strange
side of movies. (D-20/MG)
THE GERMS: A HISTORY IN CUTTINGS ($5 CASH from DBPL,
3410 First St., Riverside, CA 92501): This one has expanded
substantially from the first printing we reviewed a year of so back.
It's a mass of info about the Germs and their deceased frontman
Darby Crash, including song lyrics, show flyers, reviews of a movie
they had a finger in, interviews, and more. Seminal puftk in its raw
form. (S-28/MG)
HELPER'S NETWORK DIRECTORY ($4.00 from POBox 4142,
Fullerton, CA 92634): A resource publication for fans of the "Beauty
and the Beast" television series. You'd be amazed at some of the
projects they have going and the scope of the activities—quilt
projects, fan assistance organizations, sponsor lists and places to
write to for just about anything you would want to know about
the show and its fans. This is from Spring 1990, so the information
may be a bit out of date. (S-28t/CG) _
Hillman Holcomb, AFFIRMATIONS ($4 (?) from Christian
Technocracy, PO Box 80403, Las Vegas, NV 89180): The author
claims to be "Anti-Kike" rather than anti-semetic, since he says the
Jews (who he generally refers to with a string of derogatory
adjectives) are not really Semites or Jews. Other than that, the only
originality in this collection of bile and accusations of conspiracy is
in his mixing of the ideas of Technocracy and a veneer of science
with his hate. Nasty garbage, at great length. The only interesting
parts are the Technocracy reprints, and you can get those elsewhere
without the raving mixed in. (S-54/MG)
Craig Hulet, THE SECRET U.S. AGENDA IN THE GULF WAR
($3 from Open Magazine, PO Box 2726, Westfield, NJ 07091): A
transcribed talk from investigative reporter Hulet. He believes that
there are a lot of strange things behind this war, including a master
plan to disarm the mideast and build an empire, and the economic
influence of the K uwaitis in the US. (HS-18t/MG)
I CHOOSE TO LOVE YOU (2 stamps from Asa Sparks, 6045
Camelot Court, Montgomery, AL 36117-2555): A pamphlet dealing
with love and relationships and the committment and discipline it
takes to make the m work. Very down-to-earth ad vice, (S-2/CG)
THE INNER TEMPLE (Canadian SASE or IPR from Die Magic
Word, 2483 Gerrard St. East, Scarborough, Ont. MIN 1W7,
CANADA): Subtitled "S/M as a Spiritual Path" this pamphlet explores
the meanings and parallels behind the sado-masochistic relationship.
It compares the paradox to the yin/yang and magickal traditions.
(S-2/CG) _
THE INTERNATIONAL SHADOWS PROJECT (Contact Wooland
Pattern Gallery, 720 E. Locust St., Milwaukee, WI): A catalog and
booklet containing many of the projects and mail art pieces designed
for the Shadows project (a group of performance and mail artists
who outline bodies to show remembrance for those who died in
Hiroshima). Participants included Ruggero Maggi and John Held, Jr.
(D-20/CG) __
84
One-Shot Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
AN INTER¬
VIEW WITH
RICHARD
EBERHART and
MRS. REINS-
MAN RIDES
AGAIN (50c each
from Twin Rivers
Press, PO Box
119, Ellenton, FL
34222): A couple
more book ex¬
cerpts from Dale
Andrew White.
The first is a
straight interview
with this Pulitzer-
prize winning
poet. The second
is a bit of fiction,
revenge on the
dastardly bus
driver. (S-2t/MG)
AN INTRO¬
DUCTION TO
VORLIN ($1 from
Rick Harrison, PO
Box 547014, Or¬
lando, FL 32854):
Vorlin is yet an¬
other artificial lan¬
guage. This one
attempts to bal¬
ance rational de¬
sign goals with
aesthetic pleasure, and to be easy to learn. This essay explains the
basics, gives some examples, and invites people to get further
involved. (S-14/MG)_
Jennifer Janovy, PRIMARY COLORS ($3 (?) from Poets Without
Jobs, 1705 14th St. #272, Boulder, CO 80302-6365): Despite the title
this is not poetry but short stories. Some of them are sensible,
nearly pedestrian, as with "The Telltale Furniture", a love story
delineated by possessions. Others, like "Saturday Vows", a peculiar
sexual romp, are much stranger. Observations of people in worlds
gradually floating off into their own spheres. (HL-56t/MG)
JOHN CARRADINE (Gerard Noel, 90 rue Gandhi, 46000 Cahors,
FRANCE): This is the latest in a series of "Horror Pictures Collection"
booklets each featuring a single actor. This one has plenty of stills
from Carradine films, 1939 to 1987, along with a bit of commentary.
(D-40t/MG)_
John F. Kelly, A CHANCE FOR ADVENTURE ($1 from XYY,
82 Kimball Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704): "An autobiographical tale in
words and illustration", this mini traces the author's downfall when
he falls into the company of beautiful Hans. Drugs, animal mutilation,
and sexual deviance are recounted in charming and tasteful terms,
with classic boys'- book d rawin gs. (D-32t/MG)
KOANS OF THE RESTLESS ($5 from Mark Rose, 9037 Palatine
Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103): At first glance this booklet is composed
solely of questions like "Why do we wear clothes?" and "What is
the greatest human achievement?" It soon becomes apparent, though,
that the pages fold and rearrange in many combinations, and that
there are answers here ("Koi in the pond" being one) as well.
Combinatorial quizzicalness. (S-6/MG)
LAUGH CLOWN LAUGH (Trade Only from Alizarin, PO Box
127, Wickatunk, NJ 07765): This is a mail art collection, including
everything from a page with junk mail taped on it to some Malok
collage to various bits of mainstream junk clipped and pasted. Like
all the other Alizarin activities, the idea is to promote swapping, so
get out those envelopes and fill 'em. (S-24/MG)
Sondra London, MURDER ROAD ($5 from 8825 Roswell Rd.
#474, Atlanta, GA 30350): This is Sondra's own story of how she
happened to get into the business of publishing stories—fiction and
otherwise—from a batch of serial killers. It has fascinating vignettes
of life in touch with these guys, which has included everything from
insights to threats. A prime introduction to her work and weird
times. (S-16t/MG)_
LOP SOP AND SCRUTA ($1.50 from Cyclone Publications, 2623
Ashton Ln., Dayton, OH 45420-2721): A collection of photographic
images processed in unconventional ways—some on transparent
pages, some altered by xerography, some printed with mixes of
positive and negative images. I especially like the way the opening
flower explodes from blackness when you lift off the cover of the
booklet. (D-ll/MG)_
LOSERS ($4.00 from Streetcar Editions, PO Box 794, Station P,
Toronto, Ont., M5S 2Z1 CANADA): A story by Kevin Connolly,
founder ofWHAT! magazine, it is the story of some young hood-like
loafers who drink and smoke and watch TV a lot. The story is aptly
titled, because the characters, all of them, are truly losers and it's
because of this that my reader's empathy and interest was somewhat
lost. The background material (given partly, I imagine, as the reason
the main loser became a loser) on a brother of one of the characters
is the best part. ( D-22t/CG) _
MANUAL OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND TERRORIST
SCIENCE ($3 CASH from Nicolas Gardner, 1230 Ortega, San
Francisco, CA 94123): This is a numerological rant, complete with
dangerously kooky drawings and diagrams, inspired by "Bob" and
a series of synchronicities. It draws on the Qabala, Crowleyan
Magick, and who knows what e lse. (S-20t/MG)
Syd Mygx, MIRACLO A MILANO (IRCs from A Secret Devil,
Box 32, 52 Call Lane, Leeds, LSI 6DT, ENGLAND): A small booklet
of poetry and ranting from the lead singer and lyricist of Cheetah
Chrome Motherfucker. He takes a bleak view of the world, all blood
and depression, and dares others to prove him wrong. A full-length
book of this mate rial is on the way. (M-8t/MG)
MONETARY FREEDOM ($3 from Jim Stuffim, PO Box 29, Hiler
Branch, Buffalo, NY 14223): A collection of reprints and essays on
the idea of monetary freedom—the idea that there should be no
monopoly on the issue of money. Instead, monetary freedom
advocates say everyone should be able to be their own central bank,
and let the free market sort things out. If you've never considered
this idea you might be surprised at the case that can be made for
it. (S-13r/MG) _
Mychele, GOOD MORNING... ($1 from PO Box 82344, Phoenix,
AZ 85071-2344): Another short erotic vignette from Mychele. This
one has her lover waking her up in the best possible way for a
hotly described roll in the hay. Friendly writing to make you hot.
(D-3t/MG)
Joe Peacott, INDIVIDUALISM RECONSIDERED ($3 from
BAD Press, PO Box 132, Boston, MA 02238): A two-pronged look
at individualist anarchism. Joe explains the basic ideas of individu¬
alism, and then goes on the attack against some excesses he perceives
in collectivist anarchism. Jerry Kaplan adds a bibliography on the
subject, full of the classics from the past. One of the best statements
I've found of an anarchism paralleling my own. (D-28t/MG)
Jerod Pore, ESCAPE (52tf SASE & "worthy trade" from Jerod
Pore, 1800 Market St. #141, San Francisco, CA 94102): A paranoid
short story from the early 80's, looking forward to a future dystopia
where not even the skills of the hacker are a way out. Reminds
me a bit of some of the apocalyptic things I've published in the
past decade. (S-ll/MG)_
PUPPETSMUT ($2 from Bob Z., PO Box 28, 2336 Market St.,
San Francisco, CA 94114): A "Bad Newz Papoose", that is, a minizine
of writing and poetry from the punkture underground. Some strange
sexual adventures here, along with someone who hears wisdom
from his guitar amp and poetry like "Take off Your Pants and
Dance." (M-32r/MG)__
Ken Rand, MEDIA MAN! ($4 from 1437 Canyon Rd. #A-6,
Kemmerer, WY 83101): A collection of Ken's newspaper columns,
which remind me vaguely of Dave Barry's writings. There's one,
for example, addressed to flies, and another about homemade
noisemakers. On a more serious note, plenty of politics and culture
gets in here too, with the proper attitude towards the government—
i.e., that it is not to be trusted. Funny stuff. (D-2 4t/MG)
THE RENT-COLLECTOR ($12 CASH from Ryder Publishing,
BCM/Box 3406, London WC1N 3XX, ENGLAND): The latest booklet
of dominance and submission from this private British publishing
club. The plot this time revolves around Belinda, who can't pay her
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
One-Shot Reviews
85
rent until she becomes a willing slave to the owner of her flat.
Plenty of sex and beatings, and continued exploration of the mentality
of the happily submissive. (D-42/MG)
Claire Richards,IF WE DIDN'T, SPINAL COIL...and CROOKED
SMILE CRACKED LIPS (SASE ($1 for CSCL) from Claire Richards,
7103 Oakwood Glen #15, Spring, TX 77379): Three separate and
different broadsheets from Claire's somewhat tortured muse. "If We
Didn't" is a modern parable about the treatment of retarded people
in the (?)future; "Spinal Coil" is a dark stream-of-consciousness type
story of warriors, postwar hallucinations and more dead people; and
CSCL is a small tr eatise on the underbelly of Holl ywood. (S-lr/CG)
Randy Russell, WINTER CARNIVAL ($1.50 from TBS Publica¬
tions, 5414 Columbus Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870): A collection of
short essays from Randy, still writing about the experience of life.
He reminisces about sledding, manages to survive a cold winter,
and makes it entertaining to think about. Real life can be better
than fiction. (D-17/MG)
G.J. Schaefer, FREAK TRADE ($10 from Media Queen, 8825
Roswell Rd. #474, Atlanta, GA 30350): The latest episode in convicted
killer Schaefer's tales of Dan Kelly, Rogue Cop. In this one he helps
out some folks trying to make the world safe for decency, and at
the same time gets an overambitious hooker out of his hair. Plenty
of sleazy sex and a violent sex/death climax. (S-23t/MG)
Clarence Shak, THE CASE AGAINST CERTAIN TRAFFIC LAWS
(Donation from Crusade to Abolish Traffic Tickets, PO Box 15133,
Honolulu, HI 96830): Shak wants the criminal aspect of right-of-way
laws abolished. His reasoning (expanded on at length here) is that
they lull motorists into a false sense of security and so actually
cause many accidents. He also has a plan for wiping out the illegal
traffic ticket system. (HL-12t/MG)
Mary Rose Shaw/UP THE BUREAUCRACY! ($5 from The Radical
Feminist, PO Box 28253, Ken. Cty. Sta., St. Petersburg, FL 33709):
A one-act play portraying the "southern Christian bureaucracy" at
its worst. The action takes place at an unidentified social welfare
agency, where corruption, venality and sexual hanky-panky take the
place of actually se rving any clients. Overdr awn—I hope. (S-23/MG)
SMILIE'S SECRET DIARY (50* from Paul Nicoloff, 800 Nelson
St. #103, Austin, TX 78703): This one is rather conceptual, a diary
kept by the famous smilie face. I won't give it away, except to say
that it is as monoto nous as that idiot grinning counte nance. (M-8/MG)
SOY, NOT "OI!" ($2 from Hippycore, Box 195, Mesa, AZ 85211):
A delightfully friendly guide to becoming a vegan, with tips, hints,
things to watch out for and over 100 recipes. There are also essays
by the contributors about veganism is so much a part of their lives.
Loaded with infor mation from real people. (D-lll/ CG)
Mark Strickert, AIRCHECK ARCADE: THE NEXT BOOK ($3
from Decalcomania, Phil Bytheway, 9705 Mary NW, Seattle, WA
98117): Finally, a complete guide to the somewhat arcane practice
of "airchecking"—recording slices of radio programs, for those who
collect radio stations. Mark explains in great detail how to do this,
why anyone would want to, and introduces readers to aircheck
fandom. A solid reference work. (D-44/MG)
SUPERNAL PENTAGRAM RITUAL ($2.50 check or money order
from Yael Dragwyla, POBox 45792, Seattle, WA 98145-0792): A
variation on the standard Ritual of the Pentagram using the new
English-language 16-Sephiroth Qaballah, which is a magickal practice
of establishing oneself on the Second Plane on the Tree of Life.
(S-4/CG) _
tENTATIVELY, a CONVENIENCE, TELEPATHY RECEPTIVITY
TRAINING ($2 (?) from Box 382, Baltimore, MD 21203): While most
of us when drifting to sleep have unaccounted for and unexplainable
phrases pop into our heads and readily dismiss them, tENTATIVELY
writes many of them down, regardless of coherence. They are
artistically and graphically printed in here, with no specific theme,
but if you are familiar with this enigmatic bizarro, you will no doubt
recognize them. Phrases like "Doom for their lids," "troubleshooting
a widower," "men without surface," etc. Something to ponder when
you feel especially philosophical. (S-10t/CG)
Ottis Toole, KILLER ART ($5 from Media Queen, 8825 Roswell
Rd. #474, Atlanta, GA 30350): Toole was Henry Lee Lucas's partner
in crime. I guess he was a better serial killer than a cartoonist; this
stuff is pretty primitive. It ranges from graveyards to drawings of
idealized families— "John", "Mary", "Baby". (D-18/ MG)
T-REX ON ICE (50[cents] from W. Joe Hoppe, 1603 Woodlawn,
Suite #2, Austin, TX 78703): A mini with illustrations about the day
Joe, Polly, and Val drove to St. Paul and found a 100 foot dinosaur
balloon hovering above them. "Another one of those perfect
moments" describes the day when the three passengers became
engaged in finding, catching, and holding the moment of the
dinosaur. (M-13t/CG)__
TWENTY DAYS UNDER A HEN (SASE from Colander Publish¬
ing, PO Box 18754, Rochester, NY 14618): A micro of collages, split
between ones by Gobi and ones by afungusboy. They both use
plenty of old woodcut stuff, and seem to be on something of the
same wavelength, machinery clashing with the natural world.
(MM-20/MG)
UNDERGROUND MEDECINE (Trade Only from Brainshots Inc.,
PO Box 57, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane Q.L.D., 4006 AUSTRALIA): I
always look forward to reading what these marginals have to offer.
This one is a reprint of a 1989 edition, filled with intelligent and
provocative discourse on the psychology and pharmacology of
underground drugs. With hats off to Abbie Hoffman, Albert
Hoffman, Timothy Leary, Crowley, R. A. Wilson and a host of other
imaginaries, we find how levels of sex are altered by drugs, the
"training" one needs for the uses of most drugs, adverse reactions,
and statements bent on reality-shaping wonderment. Better send an
age statement along with your trade. (D-36r/CG)
THE UNHELPFUL NETWORK MIS-DIRECTORY ($5.00 from D.
Hilliard, Department of Hungry Journalists, POBox 1752, Orange,
CA 92668): Intended as a spoof on another directory called THE
HELPER'S NETWORK DIRECTORY, this one can stand on its own.
Both are aimed at the diehard [Beauty and the Beast] fans which
have more activities resulting from the show than a Girl Scouts
troop. Besides the lampooning, Hilliard also lets us in on how he
views himself and the world and also lists some "underground"
music and episode lists for [Outer Limits]. Clever material for those
in-the-know. (S-32/CG)
Erella Vent, COLD and HEART THING (Trade (?) from E. Vent,
2 Macklem Ave., Toronto, ONT, M6J 3M2, CANADA): Two
handmade microbooks. The first tells an old fable, the second goes
looking for things to quicken the heart. Both have sewn bindings,
rubber stampings, and other hand touches. (MM-1 6/MG)
WAR (50* postage from Carrie & Justin, 733 Fillmore #9, San
Francisco, CA 94117-2676): The most personal reaction possible to
the war, this is excerpts from Carrie's and Justin's separate diaries
from right around January 15 when the war started. They well
capture the feelings of enraged frustration felt by many who were
opposed to the w ar then. (D-12t/MG) _
WAR IN THE GULF: AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
($1.50 from PEG, 519 Castro Box 111, San Francisco, CA 94114): A
paper from the Political Ecology Group giving their stance on the
Gulf War. Although the bombings have stopped, much of this is
still applicable, from the parts on the domestic US energy policy to
86
One-Shot Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
the water and sewage impact of keeping hundreds of thousands of
troops in the Arabian deserts. Well-footnoted for further reference.
(S-24t/MG) _
WAR IS FUNNY ($1 (?) from Bart Van Kw, Grotestr. 116, 3118
Werchter, De Zuidelyke, NETHERLANDS): A little mini that's all in
Dutch, but we get the point. It would be interesting to find out
exactly what a marginal in the Netherlands thought of the war—and
can only guess by looking at the pictures. (M-12r/CG)
Carl Watson, AGORAPHOBIA AND SEXUALITY IN THE LAND
OF TRANSIENT HOTELS ($5 (?) from Apathy Press Poets, 2924 E.
Coldspring La., Baltimore, MD 21214): A collection of short stories—if
that, implying a plot and characters, is not too strong a
word—revolving around thoughts of sex, death and obsession.
Watson explores the boundaries of suicide, the barriers between
people, and the limits of self-love, in complex, interwoven strands.
(D-60t/MG) _
THE WAY WE SEE IT ($10 from CEPCI, 3181 Mission St. #28,
San Francisco, CA 94110): That ten bucks gets you the starter kit
of the Californians for Earthquake Prevention and Climatic Improve¬
ment. This booklet is part of it, a transcription of messages from
their weekly phone service (415-995-2977). They suggest such things
as disconnecting car alarms to lower seismic stress, and tying faults
together with stak es and baling wire. (D-32t/MG)
WHAT YOU MUST KNOW!!! (SASE from Blue Ryder Press, PO
Box 587, Olean, NY 14760): A single-sheet rant intended to be copied
and handed out at welfare offices. It tries to instill some pride in
the down and out, to wake them up and challenge the system just
a little bit. (S-2/MG)_
WHEN I BECOME CEO ($1 (?) from Phil, 4880 Colt St., Ventura,
CA 93003): Rant, rave and outline of what Life will be like once
Phil becomes God Emperor CEO. For one thing, each day will begin
with Rocky and Bullwinkle reruns. Not a bad deal, but then you
have Phil's proclamations which
sound like drunken taoist slogans.
(S-3/CG) __
WHY AREN'T YOU WHO I FELL
IN LOVE WITH? (25[cents] plus
SASE from Dr. Asa Sparks, 6045
Camelot Court, Montgomery, AL
36117): Another in a series of pam¬
phlets dealing with relationship and
relational problems, written in an
affirmative, optimistic manner. Four
stages of developing in a relationship
are explored, with growth being the
operative motive. Encouraging. (A4-
2/CG)
Blair Wilson,CARTOON ART,
FROM THE STUDIO OF and
SQUIGGLISM 1980S (Contact Blair
Wilson,.): Blair's unusual and
instantly recognizable style of car¬
toon art appears in two of the three
chapbooks he sent. They're quite
psychedelic—people with elongated
heads and tongues, stretched faces
and arms, almost a Peter Max feel
to them. "Squigglism 1980s" are
more graphic-oriented ink designs
that resemble, well, squiggles. But
there much more complicated than
that. (D-20/CG)
Ave., Baltimore, MD 21210) has reprints available of portions of
Edward Bellamy's lesser-known work EQUALITY, as well as some
one-page essays of his own. You can get an introduction to his
thoughts on seeki ng a better world for $1. _
•Sunshine Publications (PO Box 830, Ooltewah, TN 37363)
continues to put out 4-page pamphlets of reprints of various things.
THE VIROLOGY OF AIDS and other recent publications, for
example, puts forth the alternative scare theories about AIDS being
man made and spread by insects. One of his latest is a reprint of
HOLLYWOOD'S RACIST HATEMONGERS, about Jewish domina¬
tion of the film industry. Sprouse is also selling something he calls
"Nature's Own Perfect Remedy" for $25 a pop, advertised on the
back of this series. 50* & SASE each.
I¥e Print
Zines!
And Tabloids and Newsletters and Booklets and.
WORLD
PRINTING
1104 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12205
( 518 )
459-8455
PAMPHLET NOTES
•FREMDKORPER ($8 CASH from
Marcel Ruijters, P. Jacobsstr. 6, 6133
Am Sittard, NETHERLANDS) is a
limited-edition book of colored prints
of nude drawings by this extraordi¬
nary underground surreal artist. I've
only seen a one-page excerpt, but it
was worth pinning up by itself.
•Philip S. Hensel (612 Colorado
1
a cult <W!b£(D
by
r
Pat Tierney & Eric Saks
In this tape you will follow the real (or
unreal?) exploits of phone junkie,
DON FROM LAKEWOOD,as he spends
more than a year trying to buy a couch
over the phone from a used furniture
salesman.
" A Death of a Salesman in miniature"
-Marwhla Dargis, Village Voice
" A classic. All ‘Don from Lakewood’ wants to do is
buy a sofa for $10 over the phone. Going beyond the
realm of ’no budget’, this effort succeeds on the
strength of original, laugh producing situations. Shot
with a Fisher Price camcorder (which provides
haunting black and white, pixel-vision), this surreal
collection of an elaborate series of prank phone calls is
a hoot. It’s a great ’how to* tape: how to do something
great for nothing."
"Don is reasonably priced and one of the best
underground videos we’ve ever seen!"
-Rowdy Yates, Film Threat
Don From Lakewood Video (VHSFonnat) $18.00_
Shipping and Handling (OiisideN. America GO® $2.00_
Sales Tax (Cal. Residents only) $1.17-
(Send no money nowifCQD, AdditionalQargc) $2.00-
rw . TOTAL_
ja Check
fL^rC or money order or well concealed cash to:
’ DECO RECORDS
P 0 BOX 57549 LOS ANGELES, CA 90057
ARTWARE pro VISION JETfeSK
Der Spent list tor abseitige UntertwItunQ / Supplier of extreme/ittemative cultures
VIDEOS - FILMS - PRINTS - T-SHIRTS
MAIL ORDER - RENTAL - PRODUCTION - PROMOTION
Films by Richard Kern/DEATHTRIP FILMS, Nick Zedd/PENETRATION
FILMS, Alyce Wittenstein/ATOMIQUE FILM INTERNATIONAL, Casandra
Stark/MANKIND PICTURES, BLUE STAR PICTURES, Tommy Turner, Co-
Directions Inc., Mike Wolfe/DIRECTART LTD., Ignacio Valero, Kembra
Pfahler/NEW VIBRANT CINETUDES, John Moritsugu, Jim van Bebber/AS-
MODEUS PRODUCTIONS, Maria Beatty/DCTV, and others from the US-
underground film scene ("Cinema of Transgression"), some in PAL-VHS
anchor NTSC-VHS. Also music-videos, tattooo-videos, experimental art
and related, trash movies, horror-/splatter movies and much more of an
unusual and offensive nature. You must be 18 to order most of it.
Printmedia (Magazines, books, comics):
’’SHOCK CINEMA", "FILM THREAT", "GRINDHOUSE", ’’ECCO”, "PSY-
CHOTRONIC VIDEO", "IT’S ONLY A MOVIE", "SHEER FILTH", "FATAL
VISIONS", "THE UNDERGROUND FILM BULLETIN". "CINEMAPHOBIA",
"STICKY CARPET DIGEST", "IN THE FLESH", "BLOODY HELL". "SUB¬
TERRENE", "EXPLOITATION RETROSPECT", "TRASH COMPACTOR",
"VIDEO WATCHDOG", "TRASH CITY", "SHOCK XPRESS", "SCREW",
"WEIRD SMUT”, "BLOODFEAST", "LYSSA HUMANA", Fantaco, Kitchen
Sink, Last Gasp, Fantagraphics, and much more adult entertainment..
T-Shirts:
More than 50 printed logos like "Demolish Serious Culture", ”J. W. Gacy",
"Just Say Yes", "BAD TASTE", "NEKROMANTIK”, "Heavenly Metal",
"Domina", "Soldier of Fortune", "Art Strike 1990 - 93" and much more.
Ask for new catalog ($ 4 pp/5 IRCs) ARTWARE provision readman # 5
ARTWARE proVISION is looking for more interesting material to offer in
Germany and worldwide! We can handle all video-standards (VHS, U-
matic, Betacam, 1") and all systems (PAL, NTSC. Secam) as well as films
(16mm, 35mm). Transfers to whatsoever are possible. We have good
contacts to publications, radio-stations etc. (for reviews) and do co¬
organize 2x each year the "EXGROUND On Screen" film/video-festival
here.
Send information or/and a sample copy of YOUR film/videa/magazine!
ARTWARE proVISION / Uwe Hamm-Furholter
Taunusstrafle 63-B. D-6200 Wiesbaden, Germany
Phone: 0611-522858; Access to FAX: 0611-374281 (for UHF)
"ARTWARE is a massive catalogue that includes records, tapes, videos,
magazines and books from the extreme ends of the contemporary
underground. (...) and the listings are the most comprehensive I’ve
ever seen anywhere. Despite their German location, ARTWARE has
tons of U.S. stuff I've never even heard of and the European material is
overwhelming. Likewise, the lists of available printed materials and
videos includes more than most of our readers could probably afford
to order in a lifetime. "LOWLIFE, U.S A (1990)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Video Reviews
87
BLOODY VOODOO SOCKPUPPET (John Migliore, 17 Halam
Ave., Hamilton, ONT, L8V 1Z2, CANADA): We reviewed the
soundtrack of this extremely low-budget pseudo-horror comedy flick
an issue or two ago. That eerie rhythmic music was really the best
part of an otherwise tedious and poorly done movie. The main
problem lies in the sound recording, with voices almost inaudible
and music blasting—either you constantly play with the volume,
you get blasted, or you miss what little plot there is. The homemade
SFX are minimal. The acting of the mad TV host, controlled by his
own hand puppet, has its moments—but they are far too few to
justify a ninety-minute film. (MG)
★★★★★
THE GO GOS VIDEO ($20 [money order made out to "CASH"
ONLY) from Go Video, 6520 Selma #232, Hollywood, CA 90028):
This one is really sort of pathetic. It features three moderately blitzed
young women in a Holiday Inn and one young man so seriously
gone on Quaaludes that he can't even achieve an erection, despite
extensive masturbation on camera. The conversation revolves around
strange sex, the difference between men and women, and other
topics that seem cosmic when you've had too much to drink. Later
on, after he's passed out, they wake him up with a combination of
shaving cream, matches, and a vibrator crudely inserted. This is not
a very good dub either, having been duped so many times that it's
lost most of its color signal. And why would anyone buy this
exercise in strangeness? Because the young women are members of
the rock group the Go Gos. My favorite part is the cameraman
assuring everyone "No one will see this." (MG)
★★★★★
Richard Kostelanetz, KINETIC WRITINGS ($10? from Richard
Kostelanetz,141 Wooster St., New York, NY 10012-3613): Kostelanetz
is one of the few poets working to produce true videoems (visual,
kinetic poems made for video), and this collection from 1989 is one
of his most recent. Most of the poems are black and white
(sometimes subtle gradations of grey against white) and all the
poems are silent, so the common allure of video is absent.
Kostelanetz's possibility for movement in the poems is restricted by
the capabilities of the text-producer he uses and by a frequently
schematic imagination, but a few of the poems (such as "There was
on her face") swirl and eddy on the screen producing a visual and
textual experience that is both new and pleasing. Most of the poems
are simple onomatopoetic exercises (poems defining words, or poems
being defined as words) and the tape is remarkable for a couple of
the most unstimulating erotic poems of all time, but at the end the
aesthcipient realizes the attraction of the work, that the screen has
captured our attention as it never does before, because now we are
reading as well as viewing and we mustn't let any word get away.
(32 minutes/reviewed by Geof Huth)
★ ★★★★
MARTIAL ARTS MAYHEM Volume 1 ($21.45 from Boopzilla
Productions, 54 Turner St. #3, Brighton, MA 02135): This is an
hour-long collection of trailers for classic Kung-Fun and Karate
flicks, transferred from 35 mm prints. It starts off with "Fists of
Fury", and proceeds through "Enter the Dragon" and "The
Streetfighter" to a lot of less known features. Includes footage of
Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly, Chuck Norris, Jim Chiba, Sonny Chan and
many more, all leaping about and beating one another up. Sheer
chaos and ridiculous dubbed sound effects prevail. (MG)
★ ★★★★
RED HOT & BLUE (Arista Records, 6 West 57th St., New
York, NY 10019): Major and minor recording artists gathered
together for a music special "dedicated to dispelling the prejudices
associated with HIV infection and raising money for AIDS research
and relief." By now most everyone is sick to death of the
philathropic causes major celebrities take on and speak out for,
no matter what the principle is. Admit it. But I wasn't thinking
about AIDS when I watched this 90 minute music video
compilation. I was thinking about Cole Porter. Imagine Sinead
O'Connor even [knowing] who Cole Porter was. Because every
song that is performed on the video are the artists' various
interpretations of Porter classics. And they are all marvelous,
everyone one of them. I'm a Cole Porter devotee and also a
tremendous fan of cover songs. Watching David Byrne and pals
sing "Don't Fence Me In" was better than having him over for
dinner. Listening to the Neville Brothers eulogize Porter while
Jonathan Demme directs them in "In the Still of the Night" caused
me to breathe faster.
And there's more—lots more. Everything is all right with the
world when I can watch Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop gleefully
going through "Well, Did You Evah!" just about as good as Sinatra
and Crosby doing it or see Erasure perform "Too Darn Hot." Oh.
I could go on. Yeah, and then I got to thinking about AIDS and
the money that will go for research and The intelligent and clever
"Love, American Style" vignettes sprinkled throughout the video
teaching us real facts about sex, AIDS, and ignorance and thought,
well, maybe I'm not so sick to death of celebrity causes (especially
if I can hear Annie Lennox sing "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye").(CG)
★ ★★★★
TECHGNOSIS ($11.50 from Joshua Seaver, 600 Louisiana,
Lawrence, KS 66614: This is one of the best shot-to-video productions
I have seen in quite some time. It's the story of Seth Hephra, a
young computer programmer who, confined to a wheelchair as the
result of a transit surfing accident, becomes obsessed with making
the final leap from virtual reality into cyberspace. Complete with an
eerie Dickian political background—never explicitly spelled out, but
visible in the reactions of the culture portrayed—and high-electronic
tension-inducing music, this is a colorful gem of paranoia and
transformation. Recommended. (MG)
★ ★★★★
TWO WOMEN WRESTLING IN A LANDSCAPE, BARE
BREASTS & BOXING GLOVES and DRESSED TO KILL ($24.95
each or $62.50 for all three from 4-F Films, PO Box 148121, Chicago,
IL 60614): Three short films from Dan Krogh. He works in a
somewhat specialized wing of the medium: battling females. The
first features a pair of young women in the nude, wrestling in a
woodsy setting. It's the artiest of the bunch, with slow motion and
fancy camera angles along with the rolling around and pushing one
another. The second is pretty self-explanatory, two other young
women in boxing gloves, shorts, and ski masks, pounding away at
one another. The poorly synched sound in this one made it hard
to put much credence in the action. DRESSED TO KILL opens in
a sort of reverse striptease, with Elaine and Anne putting on panties,
garter belts, bras and dresses. Then they get into an extended catfight
and strip it all off one another again. Personally, all of this leaves
me pretty unexcited, but I understand that there is a market for it.
4-F has a dozen other short features, plus still photo sets; for a
couple bucks they should send you their catalog. (MG)
★ ★★★★
WALLMEN, "Preservative Children" (7711 Lisa Ln., N. Syracuse,
NY 13212): A miscellaneous collection of video clips from this oddball
rock band. It opens with a fine psychedelic studio clip, and then
rolls through a variety of live shows, some with decent lighting and
closeup camerawork, others capturing the murky confusion of punk
club dates. They really get into their music, and the overall experience
is definitely one of exuberance, combined with ideas that will tilt
your world on its ear. (MG)
88
Video Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
VIDEO NOTES
•FILM THREAT (PO Box 3170, Los Angeles, CA 90078-3170) is
looking for videos to distribute. Send SASE for more info.
•Poetry Harbor (1619 Jefferson St., Duluth, MN 55812) has a
cable TV show with an estimated 1250 monthly viewers, and they
would love to show your performance or poetry video over the air.
•Trauma TV (PO Box 42405, San Francisco, CA 94142) is looking
for alternative, experimental and new avaht-garde works under 50
minutes to broadcast. They will screen submissions on 1/2" or 3/4"
videotape.
NTSC CYBERBEAT
Selections from phone conversations in April 1991.
Jonathan Fischer—a musician that's been doing soundtracks for weird
or mutated videos for about five years: "I've worked on projects that
range in scope from a screening on PBS to a showing to four drunks
in a bar. There's actually a lot of similarities between the two in
the sense that you're dealing with a narrow audience. Obviously
you're dealing with a wider one if it's screened on Public Television,
but independent film and video has been pegged a little bit. There's
a lot of things that have a real independent feel. They're almost
formulaic in a way, having a similarity running through several
different projects by several different people. Somebody is either
going for an early David Lynch type of feel or somebody's going
for an early John Sayles look and it all seems to spell art school,
film school in big bold letters. To me that's just as bad as what
Hollywood is doing because here are these people who have the
freedom to do whatever they want and they're not doing it. What
they are doing is conforming to a pre-existing norm. I like to think
of my work and the producers I'm associated with as not so
identifiable as, "Oh, this is your typical independent project." I like
to work between the two extremes where I might have some aspects
of independent film. I don't like to be pegged or pigeonholed or
labeled that my work is that of an independent filmmaker or
whatever. I think this stereotyping holds true for the grunge formats,
too. Call it confrontational or East Village, it all starts looking the
same after you've seen your fiftieth hophead walking through an
abandoned warehouse district."
Marisa Bowe—Formerly of PBS Station KTCA of St. Paul, Deep Dish
TV, Paper Tiger TV and an independent producer : "I began with PBS
and had an enjoyable experience getting my feet wet in video
production, but after a while it became frustrating. The station I
started out with became corporate and their already small budget
didn't enable them to complete news stories as well as I thought
they should be done. It seemed like just another smoke screen, a
fourth network, why not write PR and get paid three times as much,
it's really the same thing so I moved to New York and joined both
Deep Dish and Paper Tiger TV. I'd seen some of their shows and
there was a lot of humor to it, pieces on THE NATIONAL
ENQUIRER and THE NEW YORK TIMES and I thought I'd like to
work with them. I'm basically more liberal than leftist. Paper Tiger
and Deep Dish TV is a leftist environment and many of the staff
members were too judgmental and puritanical for my taste. It's as
if we were from the same religion but I'm reformed and they're
orthodox. I feel some of the people were not nice and I feel if
you're not nice, then your politics are fucked except during PMS."
Jim Knipfel—Art Critic of socially deviant creations: "Most everything
I've seen is absolute shit, but most of what I've been seeing have
been music videos which are either one of two things: they're either
performance videos shot with two stationary cameras which are
inevitably dull, or things that go so completely hog wild with
computer graphics that have nothing to do with music and actually
get in the way of the music. I like the new David E. Williams video
a lot and it combines the two styles very well although it's dark
and sparse....I saw Pile Of Cows' Bible of Skin which was industrial
noise over home movies, bad home movies of people shitting and
castrating themselves. It was a lot like Christ The Movie and a lot
of people thought it was great and said, "Hey, this is cool," but
I've seen enough Richard Kern and Nick Zedd films so it doesn't
affect me anymore. Christ, Nick Zedd, what a dope. He's not nearly
as dangerous or offensive of radical as he and his fans would like
to think he is. So he jacks off on a corpse, big fucking deal—boring,
boring, boring. Now as far as narrative films I've seen lately I guess
the same sort of thing holds true, that it's hard after a while to see
something you haven't seen again and again and again. I'm sure
it's a question of economics. I mean the people that are making the
things are dealing with 3 or 4 million dollar budgets, but I'm not
expecting to see amazing special effects of find the next Marlon
Brando, but I am looking for something that goes beyond simple
film school competence which I'm not seeing much of. I'd like to
see a little flair in the writing or the storyline or the dialogue or
the camera work—just something with a little bit of style. Even if
somebody is going to make another video about relationships, at
least have the common decency to show a little skin because
everyone knows what you're going to be saying. Ed Cornell knew
this and had it in his last video. He did something different and
there was a lot going on."
Ed Cornell—Video Vet: The changes I'm going through with my
work is from years and years of shooting where everything was
preplanned. I used to have actors, set and shots down to a science,
but after a while I discovered everything is an outtake to be massaged
and manipulated in post-production. I'm jealous of the times when
I was more innocent to what happens to a project. You only have
a certain amount of energy you can spew out to personal work
without getting anything back. For instance, the idea of a venue to
show projects is such a farce, even when you try to work with
somebody outside the festival realm. It's usually a guy in a bar
saying, "Hey, Kid, bring your tape and monitor and sound system
and audience and sure, you can show." I can only speak from my
own locality, but people used to encourage you to show ten or
fifteen years ago. Now it's not so much as discourage, but it's a
business and I never approached things that way. In hindsight, I
feel that maybe I should have because of the political ramifications.
I started out as a painter before I got into video. You get that
instant gratification from painting. You can do ten paintings in one
year and get something back from each painting—I don't mean
financially either. It takes ten years to do ten videos so it takes ten
ties as long to solve the problems so this 4s the frustrating part.
It's all for a goal but the unfortunate part is that you have to be
a social animal to be shown or else you're ostracized. It's funny
because for a lot of years people put me down because I wasn't a
purist. I wasn't doing video art and I wasn't making movies either.
People would say, "Don't sit on the fence. What do you want to
do?" Well, I was doing what I wanted to do. Now those same
people, the purists, are combining experimental and narrative. There's
a definite shift towards it. Like everybody wants to be David Lynch
now. I always thought he was the best cinematographer around,
but he's gotten just as morally and politically bankrupt as everybody
else. People are blinded by science. Everybody wants to wash his
feet and polish his ass with their nose but I think he really lost it
after Wild At Heart. He's like the seven year old kid that stole the
girlie magazine and went into the bathroom to jerk off and now
he's trying to make the sleaziest girlie magazines himself. I've decided
to get back into the human condition, especially after the war. I've
got two young daughters and my family seems much more important
to me now than
anything, any
video, since the
end of the
thing. I mean
the fighting is
over, but we're
going to be
paying for this
in a lot of ways
for a lot of
years. "
Ace
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
The Fishing Hole
89
Publishing a small press publication need not, for the most of
you, be a highly organized or complicated activity. Many of you
editors also act as the typesetter, mailboy and circulation manager,
i.e. you are the entire staff. But once a publication has three, four
or more staff members the various jobs can and probably should
be divided up amongst the members.
Sometimes the lack of diversifying the authority and responsibility
can create problems. Staff members need to feel they are wanted
at the publication and play a role there. Even contributors should
be listened to by staff members. Many people who just write for a
publication may not continue to write if they feel that their material
is accepted only to fill up space or that the editor doesn't have time
to go over the material with the writer.
The following are descriptions of various jobs that are involved
in almost any publication, be it a political journal or a monthly
newspaper. Before beginning any publication it is best to have the
various positions filled and each person know what responsibilities
he/she has rather than trying to learn as you go.
The PUBLISHER. This person is responsible for every issue,
financially and ethically. When a publication is sued for libel, the
publisher is the person who takes responsibility for the suit. Even
if the publication is TIME magazine and a large corporation, the
publisher is on the firing line. Likewise the publisher also negotiates
any type of contract, whether written or verbal, with printers,
advertisers, landlords for office space and so on. On small
publications the publisher is usually the owner of the publication
and is responsible for seeing that money is available for paying
contributors and the printer.
The EDITOR. The editor of any publication has the duty to see
to it that there are enough stories, photos, drawings to put out the
next edition. The editor will work with writers, artists and
contributors to ensure the right kind of material is being prepared
for his/her publication. (By right kind of material I mean that which
adheres to the editorial mandate of the publication. A pro-abortion
newspaper would turn down a cartoon supporting anti-abortion
legislation.) The editor also works with the advertising personnel to
arrange space for advertisements. The editor will usually design the
layout of each issue with the help of the staff.
The ADVERTISING MANAGER. This person will, in many a
smaller publication, comprise the entire advertising staff. The
advertising manager will scrounge the area of distribution looking
for potential advertisers, make deals with them and produce the ads
for them, usually showing them the ad copy before it runs. (Warning,
don't let advertisers ask to see the ad more than once. If they have
changes, take down iheir requests and change the ad but if they
see riie ad again, they'll probably want more changes. So make it
a strict policy of one viewing and if the advertiser says the daily
newspaper will keep showing them theiiLjid til it's perfect/ don't
believe it. I worked in the ad department of a 37,000 circulation
daily, and we didn't give anyone that kind of royal treatment.) The
ad manager usually has a set amount of ad space to sell, set by
the publisher in correllation with number of pages of the next issue
and cost of production. Publications may or may not limit types of
Nekromantik
(70 min.) This
German classic is
a 10 on the
squirm-o-meter
as the disen¬
franchised youth
of Deutschland
find uses for the
not-so-recently-
deceased. Oddly,
it’s a love story
too... $29.95
min.) Campy
and cartoon-like
with bright colors
and elastic
(though
somewhat blood
drenched) gags,
this comic-nerd
short is a hoot!
Directed by
Christian Gore
$9.95
Cool Teenager
from the Planet X
(60 min.) A
docudrama that
follows a skate-
punk and his
attempts at
survival in the
industrial
wilderness of
Detroit.
$ 20.00
90
The Fishing Hole
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
advertising accepted. A feminist magazine, I doubt, would accept
ads from, what a local drug dealer in Terre Haute refers to as, a
"Titty bar" (a tavern that features strippers). Likewise a local
community gay paper would turned down in all probability an ad
from the local moral majority chapter (didn't Jerry Fallwell disband
that group anyway?).
In choosing an advertising manager a publication must find a
person willing to work a long time for little money. An ad manager
gets a set wage plus a percentage of the ad monies received but
on the small press level usually must stick with the percentage.
Must have the stick to it attitude because of the high turn down
of advertisers to a new publication.
The TYPESETTER. This person may be the only one on staff to
have access to a computer system that can print out quality type
for offset-lithography printing or photocopy printing methods. She/he
sets stories into columns, writes the headlines and puts together the
ads. Depending on the computer system, this may all be done on
the computer disc and printed out full pages at a time rather than
having the staff piece it together with rubber cement.
The CIRCULATION MANAGER. The CM is responsible for seeing
the copies get into the reader's hands. If the publication is a free
monthly magazine given out at stores, bars and restaurants the CM
will get permission ahead of time to leave copies at these locations.
When the publication is printed the CM will drive around and drop
copies off. If the publication is mailed to paid subscribers, the CM
will make a list of them, address copies and deal with the post
office. The CM will keep track of subscriber's deadlines for
resubscribing, deposit subscription checks and make checks for
mailing supplies (stamps, envelopes, labels). If the publication is
locally oriented the CM will have to deal with the local news agency
that deals with out of town papers that are supplied to supermarkets
and drug stores and so on. Usually the news agency will want 40-60
percent of the cover price. So if a magazine runs a dollar, the news
agency will get 40-60 cents on each copy sold. (Next issue will be
devoted to distribution with comments already found in Mirkwood
from various editors more experienced than I). If the publication has
a national interest (in effect it is not devoted to just local news, but
is related to say politics on a national level) the CM must handle
selling copies through distributors in other states. %
The COPY EDITOR. The copy editor is someone who has a good
eye for spelling errors and sentence structure. This should be
somebody besides the person who typesets the copy due to the fact
that many of us who spend a long time at the keyboard tend to
see copy on the screen as we thought we typed it rather than the
way it appears. For anyone who wants to see an example of bad
copy editing can send me $4 and I'll send them the home published
version of Stalking the Wild Reader complete with a lot spelled
"alot".
BUSINESS MANAGER AND BOOKKEEPER. The positions can
be one and the same person. Basically any person who can juggle
numbers and keep a budget figured out. Keeps track of who and
what gets paid i.e. staff, printer, rent. And keeps track of who owes
the publication i.e. advertisers, distributors. Another function that
can be served by the publisher.
REPORTERS, ARTISTS and CONTRIBUTORS. These people are
responsible to the editor for filling the pages with news and other
material for publication. The editor assigns stories to be covered,
and also reporters are encouraged to come up with their own ideas
for stories. Basically anyone submitting material for publication is a
reporter, whether writing about a riot in New York for the SHADOW,
creating a parody of Madalyn Murray O'Hair for the anarchist journal
THE MATCH! or writing poetry for whatever (reporting one's
thoughts in this case).
These jobs can be accomplished amoung many people or a few
people can hold many titles and responsibilities. There also a few
ways of organizing these people into a publishing body. There are
single owner proprietorships where the owner is totally in charge
and makes most of the editorial decisions and all the financial ones
because the publication operates on her/his money.
There is another type of publishing concern such as a partnership
of two or more where every owner has an equal amount of
repsonsibility and financial liability.
There is also the cooperative where everyone has an equal voice
in decision making and every story, advertisement and most editorial
policy is made by popular vote of the staff. This works well when
everyone has the same viewpoint as to where the publication is
heading. If not there can be disaster in which nobody can agree
and little gets done. A cooperative may decide to have a rotating
leadership in which people are chosen to make the day to day
decisions and only major ideas like editorials and financial decisions
are made by a vote.
The next columns will be devoted to distributing of periodicals.
The following is a list of observations by one of my Mirkwood
columnists in response to my last column's tale of a failed editor.
It is an abreviated portion of his letter.
Dear Joe,
I'm afraid your FISHING HOLE story is all too typical. A lot of
real-world failures result from:
1. Lack of a czar at the top, with a vision, to give meaning and
direction to the enterprise, and make damn sure everyone toes the
line or gets out.
2. Inadequate financing (though this is less important than most
people would believe).
3. No believable business plan, with reachable goals, and a budget
that everyone adheres to, and knows when they've met it.
4. And something that affects a lot of mainstream start-ups: A
total lack of professionalism in the staff, and lack of personal pride
of accomplishment from each member. In the New York publishing
scene you run across Harvard MBA's who talk a marvelous story,
but actually don't know shit from Shinola—but they know all the
best restaurants.
Happy landings,
Hal Speer
For those who remember the tale, the editor with the problems
was a thinly disguised Fishing Hole writer who gave it his fling as
his own boss and decided to work for someone else for a living.
copyright by Joe Lane
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Experioddica
91
EXPERIODDICA
by Bob Grumman
Recently four publications devoted to visual poetry have come
out: KALDRONA 21/22, VISUAL POETRY, STATION UNDER¬
GROUND and ROBERT LAX AND CONCRETE POETRY. Conse¬
quently, that genre will be the focus of this, the tenth installment
of my FACTSHEET FIVE survey of experioddica. Visual poetry is,
at its best, about the easiest kind of un- or anti-orthodox poetry to
like. Take, for example, the following specimen by George Swede:
M SS NG
Thiiief!
Here a thiefs contraband is clearly and amusingly shown rather
than verbally described. A vivid picture is thus created in a minimum
of words, one of the main aims of any kind of poetry. Another
thing I like about Swede's poem is that its device, the deletion of
letters to make a simple point (in a fresh way), is extended—the
deletion is repeated in reverse to show what happened to the missing
letters. Too many visual poets would have been satisfied with "M
SS NG."
Swede's poem is from KALDRON 21/22, which is available for
$10 from Karl Kempton, Box 7164, Halcyon, CA 93421-7164. It
contains selected works from VISUALOG 3, an exhibition of visual
poetry and related matter that was scheduled to open on San Luis
Obispo late last fall but....Well, it's a story common in the world
of experioddica. I'm afraid. A seemingly ideal exhibition space had
popped up and a group of San Luis Obispo artists had quickly
gotten permission to use it. They then arranged with Kempton for
an exhibition of verbo-visual artworks. In 40 days or so he frantically
gathered pieces from every inhabited continent except, I guess,
Africa, got them organized, and put out an issue of KALDRON as
a catalog. The exhibition organizers, however, failed to make sure
that their space was bureaucratically viable—which in our super-reg¬
ulated world is always more important than any other kind of
viability, and should be the first thing taken care of by any would-be
show-organizer. Hence, the exhibition was shut down by a fire code
(the the government officials considerately allowed a two-hour
pre-exhibition showing to be held on 10 October).
Meanwhile, the local newspaper ran a nicely-done preview of
the show by Nicholas Campbell, and later reported on the show's
shut down. Eventually a new space, in a mall, was found, and the
show went on in late January of this year. Early this April it was
shown again in Beacon, New York, according to one of my New
York sources—so it seems to have survived its shaky start.
The catalog for the visualog show contains around 55 works on
48 13" by 10" pages. They range from vizlation (i.e. visual art) of
minimal textuality to poetry that is just barely vizlational. The
selection thus pretty completely represents the verbo-visual contin¬
uum. It begins, on its cover, with a fine collage by Fernando Aguiar
depicting a sea of letters that a boat with four men in it is being
rowed through. In other words, it is entirely an illustration—except
that its subject happens to be, in part, language. The same is true
of two charming drawings within by Aaron Flores, one of them
depicting two people sharing a thought-balloon, the other depicting
a butterly-woman whose legs come together in a pencil point—which
is in the process of writing something.
At the other end of the verbo-visual continuum is Karl Young's
version of a poem by Wang Wei. In this the texture of the paper
used and the arrangement of the text's letters add an appropriately
Oriental serenity to the work but do not make it visual poem (which
is not to belittle it, for it is a fine poem, anyway).
Avelino De Araujo, Florivaldo Menezes and Noboru Izumi
contribute engaging pieces somewhere in the middle of the
continuum—but featuring typography out of music such as eighth-
notes and thus adding the third major art to KALDRON's brew.
The Menezes might be the most appealing work in the entire
collection. Certainly it demonstrates what I take to be visual poetry
at its best. It consists of three "snapshots" of a single view that
seems at first to be of staved notes (notes on a musical staff, that
is), then changes to ponded ducks, then ponded swans—at night.
It is all based on the similarity between the letters of a text (in this
case, a musical text) and something visual, (in this case, water
fowl)—but it puts us in all sorts of dreams of music-as-ultimate-se-
renity; or music as what Nature ultimately dissolves into; or language
as the final essence; or existence as a myriad-minded swirl; or artistic
creativity as the highest form of exploration...wings, liquidity, final
Grace.
r ~. ~~ .......3
i . ' ' -•
Perhaps I've gone overboard here, but it seems to me that not
only Meneze's poem but as many as twenty of the poems in
KALDRON 21/22 hit notes as high as poetry can reach. Carol
Stetser's two "hierograms," for instance, wonderfully use high-science
abstraction against primitive reminders of the past to convey (for
me) both the archaic roots of Man's Quest for Truth and its glorious
plunge beyond those roots. And the excerpt from jwcurry's eight-part
"Letter to Paul" (mistakenly attributed to Greg Evason), uses cut-out
strips of sentence-fragments jumbled into the center of a ltter
consisting of just the words, "dear paul:" repeated scores of times,
and "yrs, jwc," repeated a similar number of times, to say just
about all there is to say of the tangled complexity of language and
relationship that happens between every serious hello and goodbye.
I wish I had space to mention all the other KALDRON selections
I think top-notch!
VISUAL POETRY is more upscale than KALDRON 21/22 and
most of the other stuff I generally review here but interesting
nonetheless. A catalog for a show curated by Peter Frank that took
place in L.A. this fall, it is available for $5 from the Otis/Parsons
Gallery at 2401 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057. I found out
about it from Judith Hoffberg's UMBRELLA ($15/yr from Box 40100,
Pasadena, CA 91114), which continues to be about the best vizlation
source around.
VISUAL POETRY includes nine illustrations in full color. It also
boasts essays by Alain Arias-Misson, Peter Frank and Eugenio Miccini
which are informative and worth reading—though Arias-Misson's
characterization of visual poetry as something that is lived is not too
taxonomically helpful. After the essays comes a poem by Sarenco
to his "dear poet friends"—who are "drunkards/ and thieves and
delinquents/ potential assassins adulterers/ turbulent anarchical and
as/ treacherous as circumstance requires," and so forth for about
150 bouncy, amiable lines. Eleven artworks, one each by each of
the men in the exhibit, round off the catalog. Many of them seem
more collages than poems to me—indeed, only two definitely fit my
own definition of visual poetry: a flurry of letters by Julian Blaine
called, "My First Symbolic and Metaphysical Primer," and a
three-dimensional poem by Ian Hamilton Finlay called "Installation
view." In the Blaine piece, a jumble of blue letters precipitates out
of a blue haze to form the words, "rouge et jaune"—or "red and
yellow!" Something about the idea of blue's somehow creating
all-that-it-is-not through words strikes me a powerfully compelling—
but I'm a sucker for any kind of word-emergence visual poem. The
Finlay piece seems equally simple—a description of running water
that takes up a full wall and intimates the up-and-down of
brookwater, then, after a colon, literally turns a corner —to spell,
"Revolution!"
I have a theory about the ways people react to such poems. It
is based on my belief that people can divided into three
personality-types I have named the "rigidnik," the "flimsian" and
the "freeranger." Of these, only the third is capable of appreciating
poems like Finlay's. The rigidnik, you see, is too tied to the expected
to be anything but irritated by a text which suddenly changes
direction, physically. He might understand this intellectually, but his
inflexibility will prevent his flowing with it sufficiently—with his
whole being—to get over the pain of Tradition's being overturned.
92
Experioddica
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
The flimsian, on the other hand / is too mush-brained to have
any serious ties to the way things have been done in the past
(however intellectually aware of them he might be). He will therefore
accept the poem's change of direction instantly, painlessly—vacu¬
ously. Only the freeranger will have both the loyalty to the past
and the limbemess to flow elsewhere to be able to feel this pain of
a tradition's being broken and the joy of healing into an enlarged
outlook that that pain makes possible. Thus, the Finlay poem, and
others like it, will cause the rigidnik to say, "Ecccchh," the flimsian
to ask, "So what?"—and superior types like you and me, dear
readers, simply to sigh in rapture.
Well. Now that I've introduced the world to my three
personality-types FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME EVER IN PRINT, it
seems a little anti-climactic to return to my original topic, but I have
quite a few more words to type if I expect to feed my cats this
month, so I can't stop here. Anyway, my personality-types aren't
that original, for they aren't really much different from David
Reisman's inner-directed, other-directed and autonomous types, as
discussed in his classic, THE LONELY CROWD. So if you want to
say, "So what," to them, I won't call you a flimsian.
Except for a fine excerpt from Tom Phillips' HUMAMENT, the
other works in the VISUAL POETRY impress me less than the ones
I've so far mentioned but are generally at least visually appealing.
For the most part, I prefer the works collected by Lucien Seul for
this STATION UNDERGROUND (available from Suel, 102. de
Guarbecque, Berguette 62330 Isbergues, France, price unknown). It
contains two or three pieces from each of the following: John M.
Bennett, Jake Berry, Jonathan Brannen, jwcurry. Bill DiMichele, Crag
Hill, G. Huth, Karl Kempton, Joseph Keppler, M. Kettner, Trudy
Mercer, Mike Miskowski, Harry Polkinhorn, Chris Winkler and t.
Winter-Damon as well as collaborations between curry and Greg
Eva son, curry and Qaani Lore, and Kempton and Loris Essary.
Nearly all of these names should be familiar to readers of this
column.
The collection begins with a Keppler piece that's just a labeled
representation of the ocean, but its second, also by Keppler, is one
of my favorites of his: a crucifix of fine print—scriptures, perhaps.
In front of it floats the word, "POETRY"—literacy's redeemer. The
works that follow are nearly all of high-caliber, but I particularly
liked Mercer's "decAy," Huth's "view," Kempton's "Poem, A
Mapping," and the selections by Brannen, curry and Hill.
Mercer's "Decay" consists of just the word, "DECAY," with its
A shown crumbling, and discoloring, into fragments—decaying, in
other words. Just the kind of thing to annoy a rigidnik, and make
a flimsian shrug. But its A is girderlike and enormous—perhaps ten
times the size of the other letters in the piece. It thus rockets up
out of its otherwise man¬
nerly text like a cancerous
mountain of high-rise,
techno-progressive anti-
Nature and makes it
point against Urban De¬
velopment with maximal
forcefulness.
I lack space to say
anything more about the
+ ^ pieces in the Suel collec-
/ tion—except that that col-
lection is first-rate, and
that it is especially nice
for a critic to see good
work of his contemporar¬
ies getting anthologized
overseas.
The final publication
under review here, ROBERT LAX AND CONCRETE POETRY, is
available for $6 ppd from the U.B. Foundation, SUNY at Buffalo,
The Poetry/Rare Books Collection, 420 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260.
It is a catalog of an exhibition that was held from 1 December 1990
through 20 January 1991 at Buffalo State College. It featured works
by Robert Lax, with additional material from the university's
Poetry/Rare Books collection—as well as three works commissioned
especially for the affair from Lax, Ian Hamilton Finlay and bill bissett,
which are reproduced in the catalog. (Some 130 artists not
represented in the catalog, I should add, have work included in the
exhibition, and they include many whom I've spoken of in this
column such as Karl Kempton, John M. Bennett, Bern Porter and
Loris Essary—but none of them, so far as I know, is under 40,
which is a defect, but standard, unfortunately, for University-operated
shows funded, as this one was, by banks.)
Also standard, apparently, for such shows are superficial,
condescending reviews. This one had one such by BUFFALO NEWS
art critic, Richard Huntington, who considers concrete poetry (aka
"visual poetry") "as anti get-out-and-get-under-the-moon poetry as
it can be." The truth is, however, concrete poetry has often featured
moon-based lyrics, most notably in the work of Ronald Johnson.
Huntington makes other foolish statements based on insufficient
knowledge of his subject, such as a definition of concrete poetry as
"the word stripped naked, torn from its happy home in literature
and forced to stand bolt upright on the harsh stage of the white
page." That, indeed, is the case in many concrete poems, but
certainly not in all or even the majority of them. Worse, Huntington
spends all his review generalizing, making no attempt to exemplify
in detail any of the works under consideration and explaining what,
in his view, is good and bad about it, and why. I waste all this
space complaining because otherstream art so consistently gets either
shallow or no notice from the mainstream, and it deserves better.
Fortunately, the Lax show catalog includes a longish discussion
of concrete poetry and Lax's contribution to it by Mary Ellen Solt.
Her discussion of one of the most interesting works of Lax, a 9-frame
sequence called "Red & Blue," though marred by a reproduction of
the sequence out of order, is especially illuminating. Lax's piece
consists of nothing but the words, "red," "white," and "blue,"
arranged in columns, two to a page. It seems boring, to say the
least, but Solt makes a convincing case for a high lyricism's residing
in its variably-sized patches of negative space, changes in the heights
of it s columns with respect to each other, and the repetition of the •
color-words until they almost must take on symbolism and connote
blood (or humanity), sky (or Nature-minus-Man) and something
beyond color (spirituality). Thus for her, "Red & Blue" is not only
a kind of celebration of pure color, but "can be read as a series of
nine interrelated ideograms that make a profound statement about
the interrelatedness of the human (red), the natural (blue) and the
spiritual (white)." I agree.
Later Solt is near-perfect again in a critique of Lax's "the stone/
the sea." This poem consists of nothing but repetitions of "the
stone," "the sea," "water," and "stone," and achieves "sound poetry"
by the simple device of suddenly, after many iambs (or weak then
strong beats), saying just "stone." This causes the aesthcipient all
at once to hear (and see) the weight of the stone—and consequently
the litheness of the previously chanted "water." And he feels, if he
is susceptible to it, all the more vigorously the eternal jar of the
sea against the land.
The rest of the catalog contains some fine black&white pieces by
Lax, John Furnival, bill bissett, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Bob Cobbing
and bp Nichol, two classics by Eugen Gomringer and Harold de
Campos, and two unattributed samples of current zine experimen¬
tation, one of which could be a Miekal And poem. It has two color
works, too: one by Lax called "red red blue" that I frankly don't
quite get, and one called, "King" by Finlay, which is wonderfully
gory.
Near the end of the catalog Michael Basinski and Robert J.
Bertholf, who helped organize the show, sneak in a short essay that
acknowledges the valuable contribution to vizlature (i.e., verb/visual
art) of such under-forties as Liz Was, Bob Z., and Crag Hill, and
of the kind of zine such as MALLIFE that I have been concerned
with in this column over the past few years, and that our Aeditor
has been reviewing for far longer than that. While the poetry zine
world might seem haphazard and insignificant, say Basinski and
Bertholf, "in its fanatic and fantastic approach (it) has firmly
maintained its principle directive, to create a space where new forms
of literary expression can germinate, grow and develop. The necessity
of indicating and protecting this creative space was a direct response
to the dominant stagnancy of American poetry, which rewards its
practitioners with tenured positions, and cloistered and protected the
poetics of narrative conformity." I couldn't have said it better myself.
Conclusion: it is gratifying that vizlature is starting to get so
much attention, so of it establishment attention. I hope there will
be more such shows for me to report on in the future—and that
they will finally become seriously discussed (rather than merely
mentioned) somewhere besides here.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Why Publish?
93
WHY PUBLISH?
Mikel, COHOLLICAN PRODUCTIONS:
Let's start with a fact that Pve mythologized in the author's
biography section of each of my books: I started writing, dedicated
my life to the pursuit of becoming a self-supporting writer, began
using the value of my writing as my sense of self-worth, at age 13
after watching a particularly bad made for TV movie. This would
be cute if I were 18 or 20 or something; but I am now 32. I published
my first book at age 30 and have done one each year since. I
publish because after near twenty years of writing if I were to judge
myself by the quantity of my writing I have conned "real" publishers
into publishing, I would think of myself as a zero. And I'd rather
not do that.
There are maybe ten million (less than 1/2 or 1% of the pop.,
seems fair) of us out here who know we want to put our words
out and hope they can mean something near as much to others as
they have meant to us. The world of "real" publishing seems at
best a fixed lottery, at worst a closed fraternity. That reality does
not mean I cannot put words together in a sentence like order; it
just means that those who govern "real" publishing have not chosen
me to be their star for a day just yet. And maybe they never will.
But I have always been my own star of my very own movie
and since I can figure out how to put books out and do enjoy it
and it makes me feel better, and my son likes calling me a writer
and since we've got books to point to that let us both say it's
so...WHY NOT PUBLISH?
★ ★★★★
Dawn Anderson, BACKLASH:
I found I could not come up with a single answer to that question,
so I quit.
★ ★★★★
Molly Gill, THE RADICAL FEMINIST:
I publish because I have to. I must write, express my thoughts,
and pass on info to others. I hope to raise the consciousness of
women (and men) to the debilitating problems, of women and
children especially. (A society is judged by how it treats its women
and children, and animals).
I love the communication with readers and other writers and
editors. I love the choices open by having my own newsletter. I have
a theory that many or most writers were denied expression of their
own thoughts as children and had egocentric parents engrossed in
expressing themselves rather than listening to children who might
not be reflecting on the parents' ideas. (Shades of Feud, but he was
often on-target). To trace sources to parents is not to blame them,
as they had their own problems.
When things start rolling out of my head, they are lost in their
best form if not utilized. SO I may find myself sitting at the
typewriter, stark naked, and hungry for breakfast and coffee, because
something has started rolling out of my head. I almost never sit
down and think about what I could write about or say. Meditation
(TM) brings it to the fore. My best creativity is post-meditation. This
is what makes FSF so important to the non-conformist; it provides
a forum and market place for the all-important self-expression,
self-testing, and self-esteem.
★ ★★★★
Shannon Frach, BROWNBAG PRESS/HYACINTH HOUSE:
I publish because I feel that 90 percent of what passes for
"literature" these days is, for the largest part, a king-sized bag of
dogshit. Generally, it either tends to be pompous, bombastic crap
spewed out of the gobbling, anemic, puppet-like mouths of art farts
who wouldn't know good writing if it hit them on the head like a
goddamned anvil from Mars, or quasi-literate, misspelled, misbegot¬
ten scrawlings barely worthy of appearing on a junior high bathroom
wall, much less a nationally distributed publication.
I'm staring, for instance, at a file of submissions—I actually have
enough submissions to print up several different zines right now,
but I'm holding out for quality. Naturally, what constitutes "quality"
for you and what constitutes "quality" for me may well be different
issues. For my part. I'm looking for force, vigor, boldness,
extremism—I'm looking for writings that will leap off the page and
rip the reader's jugular vein open—in a pleasant, literary kind of
way, of course.
I publish because I'm looking for men, women, and representa¬
tives of all the available human gender options who still know what
words are and what to do with them. I want to be in the company
of wordsmiths. I'm looking for wild, decadent Hell-Women who can
make pages burn and jump to screaming life on command. I want
to make the acquaintance of thundering, swaggering, brass-balled
Overlords who utilize their innate verbal talents to demolish normal
life forms until they skitter away like a pack of degraded lemmings.
I want to publish strong, viciously outrageous writers who never
learned how to apologize. Additionally, I also want to actively
encourage those individuals who, after finally having arrived at the
painful realization that they will never fit into this idiotic,
cookie-cutter world served up by the maleficent, brain-addled
Dipshits in Command, will boldly stand up and realize that they
can still claim the option of not crumbling to anyone else's dictates,
whims, or visions of reality. Escape, revenge, and healing can all
begin with an act as simple as unsheathing a Bic ballpoint. We have
the power to write the greedheads and losers out of any given
scenario, and to write ourselves in.
All I want is to provide a low-cost forum for the tiny handful
of people remaining on this green, spinning dunghill we deem to
call the Earth who understand the mystical, forceful power of words.
In the final analysis, L publish because I'm a blazing malcontent
who just happens to think that if there's any salvation left for
humankind, it lies in words and having the raw conviction, bravery,
humor, vision, and power to use them for everything they're worth.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Sonny D. Gardener, FREDERICK'S LAMENT:
Why publish? That's easy. I wanted to write for the tabloids;
now they write for me.
I am an occultist playing with the psychological phenomenon of
cognitive closure. The mind supplies the missing pieces to complete
the paper-doll puzzle, arranging and rearranging bits and pieces into
patterns—words, numbers, inventions, relationships, societies, etc.,
in its search for meaning and a way back home. Thus, to the
unconscious mind, "Earth" becomes :he, rat, rate, at, heat, hearth,
tear, heart, Ra, [bjreath," etc. This is commonly known as reading
between the lines. Some are gifted/cursed with this ability/disability.
Advertisers influence responses by such subliminal stimulation
and suggestion. Use it to your advantage. Whether awake or asleep,
we are all ad agents. Suggested movie: John Carpenter's They Live.
Suggested reading: Vivekananda's JHANA YOGA. Think about the
term "reverse psychology."
Each one desires wholeness, the completeness symbolised by the
archetype of The Self (i.e., Frederick). Frederick affected many and,
even in death, continues to do so. He demonstrates that good/bad
does not (cannot) exist in isolation: it stands side-by-side, two halfs
of one cosmic coin. After all , God (dog) is Satan (Santa), depending
on your point of view. In the end, our motives are the same, only
the methods differ.
Every quality has its place as a harmonious part of all Creations.
The unconscious mind (the so-called Higher Self) recognizes the
witch's pentagram and the policeman's star as one and the same.
When such apparent opposites are resolved by the conscious mind,
peace reigns (reins, rains). This is the purpose of evolution.
Free will is earned through self discovery, the bottom line for
publishing. The man in the iron mask gazes into the mirror. Does
he like what he sees reflected there Life + Death = Synchronicity.
As the old song says: "Fa-la-la, Fred is dead...," thus
FREDERICK'S LA¬
MENT. So now you
know. What I want to
know is how his picture
ended up on the cover
of #41?!
Life is art. Living art¬
fully reveals in-
finiti...Right? Write! Re¬
member, there is no
deadline....
★ ★★★★
[Publishers: why do
you publish? We want to
know!]
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94
Conspiracy Corner
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
MONK: What is Buddha?
MASTER: Don't talk in your sleep.
You can look at the world with a naked mind—as free as possible
of assumptions—or you can interpret events as if they were all
scenes in a melodrama, a cops-and-robbers flick.
What Albert Ellis called excessive moralism—the moralism that
results in unnecessary violence—abounded on both sides during the
Persian Gulf War.
Nihilism makes no assurances and frightens many for that reason,
but it partakes of a certain intellectual honesty without which
genuinely social behavior—free of destructive illusions—is impossible.
How many, I wonder, recall that Kuwait was in the news just
prior to the Iraqi invasion? That kingdom announced it would not
abide by OPEC production limits in the coming year.
Bush called the Iraqi invasion that followed an unprovoked attack.
Not once during the war did I hear or read any reminders about
the Kuwaiti decision at the expense of oil-producing nations and of
benefit to Western-based multinational oil companies. (Nearly all the
articles about Garrison's prosecution of me in the late 1960s carried
a line at the end refreshing everyone's memory that the Warren
Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone killed
John F. Kennedy.)
My sympathies don't extend far in the direction of oil producers
or of governments, let alone both. Besides, I suspect OPEC is
blackmailed by Nazi scientists with alternative energy production
formulas that could make fossil fuels obsolete overnight.
But when excessive and extortive oil profits remain in the Third
World, more wealth trickles down to the desperately poor than when
they wind up—as previous to OPEC's creation—in the hands of First
World multinationals.
So you can see Kuwait's spoiled little rich kid of a king as a
scab on OPEC—which, in turn, makes the Iraqi invasion a punitive
expedition. As such, it was indeed the "great moral victory" Saddam
called it—much to Bush's annoyance. Every oil well in the country
has been incapacitated for years. Saying that has "no military value"
is like saying making General MacArthur post-war Emperor of Japan
had "no military value."
As for the much-touted damage to the environment caused by
some six hundred burning oil wells, that is also something about
which the media dares to insult public intelligence. How many
people are unaware that internal combustion engines bum petroleum
and that oil is therefore pumped and exported for the purpose of,
besides greasing a few wheels, being burned? What is the difference
in terms of environmental damage of spreading grease all over the
planet and then burning it—as opposed to simply burning it all at
its point of origin?
Certainly the column of smoke rising over Kuwait—causing rich
merchants to wring their hands and cry—is more dramatic than the
usual more invisible method of pollution. But then the net income
of the major oil companies increased, according to the NEW YORK
TIMES, by 666% in the fourth quarter of 1991 over last year_so
we cannot even honestly say their tears are over lost fortunes.
What seems to me to be going on behind the scenes—and not
very well hidden behind them at that—is a
struggle between the Western-based multina¬
tionals (also probably blackmailed by Nazis)
and OPEC. Giving the First World capitalist
economy a shot in the arm by tearing OPEC
apart seems the goal of First World politicians
now dominating the United Nations.
Meanwhile, as if the din of cheap tin-horn
patriotism were not deafening enough, the
mass media is staging a melodrama instead of
reporting the news. As Peter Jennings said
early on, "The first casualty in time of war if
often the truth." Viet Nam started out with a
similar propaganda blitz, but lasted long
enough for the lies, omissions and distortions
to be worn down in adversarial debate.
All the moralistic sugar-coating of the
Persian Gulf War remains as the nation turns
its attention now to other things—lingering
illusions, alive and well. Can the rest of the
world afford many such illusions among a
people armed with Star Wars technology? Isn't
the simple-minded religious fanaticism of the
Middle East already sufficient moralistic melodrama unto itself?
About 80% of the American people—most of whom think they
should fear the nihilists instead of us fearing them—thought this
war was justified. About the same percentage of test subjects were
willing to pull a lever they thought would possibly electrocute a
human being when ordered to do so by an anonymous man in a
lab technician's white coat. Most people would rather kill for no
reason than think for themselves.
Known methods of snapping them out of that hypnotic ‘
trance—and that appears to be just what it is—are long and involved
and must be applied on a one-to-one basis (shrink and patient, guru
and disciple or whatever) with little indication that they work any
better than random chance or spontaneous remission.
Figure out how to wake everybody up at one and you might
save the world. Just don't expect any help from the corporate media.
There are those, of course, who say that dropping the equivalent
of one Hiroshima atom bomb on Iraq and occupied Kuwait each
day was necessary killing. In the words of a Pentagon official, they
disagreed with us but were nevertheless willing to risk their lives
defending our right to express our opinion. That cliche always sounds
good, but actually every modern war has decreased freedom in
America—bringing with it greater bureaucratic restriction and higher
taxes. With the possible exceptions of the American Revolutionary
War and the Civil War—and many scholars of history convincingly
dispute that even they were exceptions—in this country, freedom's
worst enemy has usually been war.
A group of businessmen were asked to write down all the things
they worried about in the course of a typical day. Three months
later they were asked to examine their lists and decide how many
of the things they wrote down were actually worth worrying about,
actually became—or would have been—problems. Would you believe
5%?
So much for the odds that Saddam, without UN intervention,
would have gone on to conquer the world or would have developed
a nuclear strike capacity (with only enough radioactive material to
make one atom bomb
anyhow) or would have
eradicated Israel—a na¬
tion probably with as
much to fear from
Saudi Arabia and Ku¬
wait (if my theory of
Nazi blackmail is cor¬
rect) as from Iraq.
WANTED!!!
Stupents of drop- our culture;
to cormtieoTE to*twe forth-
comimg* AuroNomet>iA book.,
GONE. TO CRO AT AN
ORIGINS OF AMERICAN t>ReP- OUT
GUUORE fcoiTCb ft* T.KoeHtfMttE
AND PETER LAmBORU WILSON
ESSAYS,GRAPHICS, Bibliogra¬
phic GNTRIEi. ETC..
For rnoRE iNFote.rnA.-noN'
f JAMES KOEHNUNE 1
.85-777
SEATTLE.WA S81H5-J777
L
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Oka Golf Course
95
Oka Golf Course:
Opening Ceremonies
by Misha
Art by Mezmer
At the close of the fourth world Spotted Owl Woman launches
off the juniper tree and swoops down to survey all that has
happened.
We hear the huffing of her wingbeats as she flies over a large
emerald eye scarred into the land by fire.
This is a sterile place, the grass only a suppurating mold scabbing
over the wounded soil.
Real Adders slither out of the holes punctured into the ground
wiith the poles of stark white banners. Man-eaters work the greens.
We have sacrificed a white dog, and as the new winter begins, we
entreat Jouskeha to blaze the ice off the water hazards.
At the forefront of the first hole, just west of the sand trap, we
wait for the toss of the feathered lance. The rachis of a crow feather
silvers in the wind.
You see how the horses will stampede from the four directions.
They stand at the star points of the course. White from the north,
red from the east, yellow from the south and black from the west.
The horse we ride is spotted all colors. An Appaloosa come
northeast to run the day's course.
The rough consists of nettle, ivy,
sweetgrass and poison sumac. The
redwings holler from the cattails and
a black badger snarls at the newly
hardened asphalt trail.
A warning wind of red souls
sweeps the green and tips off the
fluorescent visors of the players. We
will caddie their clubs. A brave from
the north chooses a number one
driver. South, brave grasps a nine
iron. The carts wait at the red ribbon.
The players cut the red ribbon just
as the vessels of blood are cut on
the red mans land.
We gather the reins of our horses
who pick up their feet in rapid
succession, running in place, hooves
anxious to gash the soft cushion of
turf on the plush greens. We pink
Indians move in the space between
two worlds. Was it my mother who
said pink was the color of love? The
color of the early sky, the color of
entrails splashed across the carpet of
green-blood seeping in rivulets into
the 18 holes. Mother, pink is the color
of stone bridges arching between
earth and fire.
The golfers speak in hushed tones.
Leather bags like white stones in a
graveyard. Our horse snorts at the
temptation of forbidden grass. Only
white men walk here. White men in
dinner mint shirts and nail studded
shoes.
A pock-marked ball is placed on
a tee where a killdeer's nest once
held speckled eggs.
A flag flutters as the arm swings
back, the whip of the club through
the air masks the sound of the
singing arrow which strikes the golfer
straight above the alligator and he
sinks to his knees in the newly mown
grass.
Flaming arrows sink foxes and nipples snf twisted green gators
and the golfers fall like sickled tulips.
Our horses trumpet terrible neighs and our hearts rush to the
thunder of hooves as we gallop over the soft grass. Gods of turf
fly behind us and powders of thistle down billow from our medicine
bags.
Our hands hold the slippery clubs, mecate reins, cunning knives,
twisted manes, cutting coup with amazing accuracy.
The facade of peace is sung by a meadowlark. False smiles, false
faces, the green of money, of astroturf, of emerals on the ladies
white earlobes under the yellow visors. Yellow shirts, yellow horses
scattering the golden sand in the trap now holding gamesters instead
of rubber bound balls. Sand and blood, the molten color of the
horses haunches, the red carts, the bloody flecks on the warriors
faces streaked with black. The spider black of horses, of fear, of
the moist earth throwing off suffocating lawns under the stark white
of scraped bone, white around the Appaloosa eye, the white of new
snow falling on the reclaimed reservation land and the yellowish
white of the fourth world, strangling to death under the filth of
cash and the treachery of numbers.
Tell me powaka-when you miss the putt do you blame the
velvet, the nap, the wind, or the Mohawks at Oka?
96
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Music from this issue which has a Music Access number [MA#]
will be on that system starting the first week in May. Remember,
if you send your music to Music Access, we will give you preferential
treatment as far a s getting a prompt review goes.
Music reviews are by Karin Falcone (KF), Tom Gogola (TG), Mike
Gunderloy (MG), Geof Huth (GH), Kurt Lemming (KL), Bob
Lukomski (RJL), William Meckley (WM), Carol Schutzbank (CS), Kyle
Silfer (KS), Robin Somerill (RS), Dina Williams (DW), Dan Wrzesinski
(DW2) and Phil Zampino (PMZ).
( ), self-titled ($3 from Vinyl Manor Recordings, PO Box
85852, Seattle, WA 98105): The band's name is drawn as a squoggle
and pronounced as a scream, and we can't reproduce either one
here.The music is a combination of hollering, bits of TV-show theme
songs, sax, early punk and who knows what else—sort of a musical
melting pot. Very active, with lots going on in the mix and talent
that would probably get better press if their name wasn't so dumb.
(45/MG) _
27 DEVILS JOKING, "The Sucking Effect" (Rave Records, PO
Box 40075, Philadelphia, PA 19106): Garage grunge heavy-guitar
psychedelia from the great state of New Mexico. These boys get
out there and bash some music around, leaning hard and long on
their strings. The result is energetic music with songs like "Walking
in the Dark"and the breaking up is hard to do song "So Long,
Good Luck, Goodbye & Fuck You". Zooming Gila monster madness.
(LP/MG)
27TH CITY, self titled (Joseph Zake, 1804 W. Division, Chicago,
IL 60622) A four piece Chicago rock'n'roll band, using psychedelic
guitar rhythms and leads backed up by easy going bass and drums.
Not a "pound it out" band because these guys need not thrash in
order to draw attention to themselves. The vocals add that special
twist with the sa me easy going attitude and poeti c lyrics. (T/RS)
THE 27 VARIOUS, "Granny Smith" b/w "E too D" ( Susstones,
PO Box 6426, Minneapolis, MN 55406) Side one slips soothingly by
with the pleading lyrics of "Granny Smith" backed up with ethereal
"OOHS" and "AAHS" all fitted nicely into 4/4 timing. Upon flipping
of the disc, and placing of the needle one should brace oneself for
the onslaught to follow. Side two, although not really all that hard,
is a definite switch from the latter, with a definite Led Zeppelin
influence. Well, th ey're versatile. (45/RS) _
360'S, "Texas" b/w "Wild Roads" (Link Records, 121 W. 27th St.,
Suite 401, New York, NY 10001): Rock music that can't make up
its mind if it's Killing Joke, Big Black,
or good old AOR. The guitar solos
help decide. (45/RJL)
"60 Minutes With the NCCC" ($7
from Nine Muses Press, PO Box 821,
Nicasio, CA 94946): "NCCC" sounds
for "Northern California Collective
Consciousness", and this is mellow
music with some spoken word
missed in. Maybe I'm not PC enough
or something, but I have the bad
feeling a lot of their humor sailed
right by me—what, for example, is
the point of "Stars", a deadpan
reading of the way famous folks have
died? Also available is an excerpt
from "Uncle Tad Baker's Mens'
Club", in this case a rant by the
Professor on the dangers of highway
masturbation. (T/MG)
ABSOLUTE INSANITY, "Don't
WoiTy, Be Happy" ($4 from Karl
Robinson, 9723 Checkerboard, Hous¬
ton, TX 77096): 13 songs of excellent
hardcore punk. A lot of it is rage at
those destroying the world, though
they do work in a loud love song or
two. The sound quality is not the
greatest, but the energy and aggres¬
sion is, and for the price this is
definitely a demo worth checking
out. (T/MG) __
ACCIDENTS OF BRILLIANCE,
"Scratchpad" (Presence Records, PO Box 2502, Houston, TX 77001):
A solo project from Reginald Butler, this one lies somewhere in the
electronic netherworld between jazz and New Age. Bright and
bouncy, it packs a substantial wake-up punch. Skittery keyboards
are the core of the sound, with lots of quick changes throughout
(T/MG)[MA#1190] _
ACID BONES, "Dead Boy", "Bone White" b/w "Mother Supe¬
rior", "Son of Sound" (Dead Issue Records, PO Box 1645, Staten
Island, NY 10314) Metal, of the heavy sort, with the added benefit
of dark melody and drooling rythms. The drummer has some fun
with tinkling chimes as well as using the rest of the set to it's
fullest, and the thick guitar thunders above and drones below. If
any band could take the stage by storm it would definitely be these
guys. (7"/RS) __
CIVIL ALLEN, "Peregrination" ($4 from Power Coat Records,
2500 Knights Rd. #1376, Bensalem, PA 19020-3410): Vaguely New
Age instrumental tracks put together with a good deal of grace.
Allen shepherds his MIDI equipment through its paces, evoking
thoughts of rebirth and spring, counterpoised by quiet fall moments.
(T/MG)[MA#1191] _
ALL OF MY HUMMINGBIRDS HAVE ALIBIS, self titled ($8.00
from Minoy Cassette Works, 923 West 232 St., Torrance, CA, 90502)
Atmospheric industrial with clangs, chimes, whistles and ethereal
mall music all twisted with electronic distortion to become something
of quite another nature. Not grating or harsh; actually rather a
soothing experience. (T/RS)
AND ALSO THE TREES, "Farewell to the Shade," (Troy Records,
PO Box 2013, Venice, CA 90294-2103): Gothic, brooding rock in the
tradition of the Cure, although despite a 10-year-plus music career.
And Also the Trees has never made the US impact that the former
band has. This album has similar lush, atmospheric guitars as 4AD
artists This Mortal Coil or the Cocteau Twins. The overwhelmingly
Gothic tone (Cure brooder Robert Smith remixes "The Pear Tree"
for the Trees) and lyric bombast, however, make "Shade" of interest
only to gloom and doom rockers or longtime Trees listeners. (T/DW)
ANGWAJNA, "Slither" ($5 from Hal McGee, PO Box 3637, Apollo
Beach, FL 33572): A1 Margolis and Chris Phinney are both big names
in the experimental music cassette culture. Here they play together,
synthesizing wild soundscapes with plenty of rhythm, strings,
synthesized madness and percussion. Eeriness prevails, and although
the mix is very clean and minimal there is always plenty to
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
97
contemplate in their music. (T/MG)
ANIMAL SLAVES, "A Fine End" (DYB, Box 327, 810 W.
Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4C9, CANADA): Funky music, heavy
on the bass lines and all swirling about the manic vocals of Elizabeth
Fischer, who seems to have a rather troubled imagination. These
are desperate songs for desperate times, with "End of the Night"
(featuring guitar help from Elliott Sharp) standing out.
(CD/MG)[M A# 1192]_
ANTISEEN, "Walking Dead" b/w "Haunted House" (Ajax
Records, PO Box 146882, Chicago, IL 60614) Biker punk with ugly,
guttural vocals over straight forward simple progressions. The two
songs are on a b grade or less horror theme, the first an '88 tune
of an interim Antiseen lineup singing "Walking Dead," with horror
sound effects stuck in the middle. In "Haunted House" the singer
refuses to leave his house of the same. Neither is particularly
frightening, nor is it musically interesting, simply grinding from start
to stop. A big yawn. (45/PMZ)
APPALACHIAN DEATH RIDE, "Butterfly" b/w "Dark Flower"
and "George" (Lovehammer Records, PO Box 10073, Columbus, OH
43201) Pressed on RED vinyl and sleeved with a cover of a blue
man with wings on his head provides a great visual for the music
spewing from the speakers. Tight drumming, "fuzz bass", and
grundgy guitar prevail over the vocals but don't overpower. (7"/RS)
ARCANE, "Destination Unknown" (Wild Rags Records, 2207 W.
Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640): Texan speed metal with more
hair on the back cover than you've probably seen in one place for
a long time. Though fast, their music is more on the progressive
side than in the grindcore arena, with the notes being clearly distinct.
More like a well-tuned racing car than a charging Mac truck. (LP/MG)
ROD ARGENT, "Red House" (Relativity, 187-07 Henderson Ave.,
Hollis, NY 11423): A released on Relativity's Musical Masters
Collection. Argent plays light and mellow jazz with little bits Of the
blues, mostly instrumentals though he does sneak a vocal track or
two in. This is gentle material, evocative of walks in the woods and
ABOUT MUSIC ACCESS
FACTSHEET FIVE is working closely with MUSIC ACCESS,
the new music preview service being run by Bar Biszick down in
New York City. By dialing 1-900-454-3277, you can hear selections
from hundreds of new music releases, in categories including rock,
jazz, folk, childrens', and spoken word. The call costs 95tf per
minute, part of which goes to fund artist and community resources.
MUSIC ACCESS is meant to be a networking tool, not an
audio jukebox. Each piece on the system has a voice mailbox
attached, so you can leave comments and network with the artists.
You can easily move from piece to piece by entering their four-digit
music access numbers, which are listed in their directory newsletter
along with instructions on using the system more efficiently ($12/yr
from Music Access, PO Box 179022, Times Plaza Sta., Brooklyn,
NY 11217).
By having your music reviewed in FF, you're entitled to a free
month of having it available on MUSIC ACCESS. Right now we're
doing this with a limited number of selections, because we have
to arrange for the same record or tape to be reviewed here and
then sent to New York. To guarantee your music a place on MUSIC
ACCESS, you need to send a second copy to them! There's a
submission form elsewhere on this page, which should accompany
your release. (Send the submission form to Music Access, not to
FACTSHEET FIVE!) Please note that only new, commercially
available recordings properly protected by copyright are eligible.
I've played around with the system and I think it's pretty neat.
We hope more of you musicians get in touch directly and use it
as a networking tool. Oh, and one more incentive—records
advertised in FACTSHEET FIVE will get extended time on MUSIC
ACCESS for free!
Reviews in this issue of FF followed by a number in brackets
(like [MA#1001]) will be available on MUSIC ACCESS from
February 1 to March 15. And you can leave voice mail for FF on
the system too, in mailbox [MA#9005]. Hope to hear from you
there!
cool streams. (T/MG)_
MARK ARM "The Freewheelin' Mark Arm" (Sub Pop, POB 20645,
Seatlle, WA 98102) Arm gives a powerful version of Dylan's "Masters
of War," epic by delivering it straight from the heart, with no
bullshit. The cover art is a doctored Freewheelin' cover with Dylan
and his arm-in-arm companion wearing gas masks, and the back
cover cuts and pastes Nat HentofPs original liner notes, inserting
Arm's name in Dylan's spot. The B side, "My Life With Rickets"
lifts (with due credit) the "Bo Didley" riff, and is the story of a
man getting beat up by a transsexual, while living with a disease
that "makes my gums bleed/I got a calcium deficiency." The inspired
slide guitar whoosh gave me an immediate adrenelin rush.(45/TG)
THE ASTRONAUTS, "Constitution" b/w "Please Don't Come
'Round Tonight" (Acid Stings, PO Box 22, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 OHA,
England) Nine members in this band that play art rock with a poppy,
pirate ship sound (come on, you know what I mean?). Regular line
up of guitar, bass, drums with the added touch of keys, violin and
flute. Lead vocals, sung by Mark Wilkins, have a Morrisey quality
to them, whilst the wild backup woman, Kay Beckett, creates an
undertone of slight madness. Both songs are from the LP "Up Front
and Sideways" tha t, although I haven't heard, must be great. (45/RS)
THE ASTRONAUTS, "In Defense of Compassion" ($10 from Acid
Stings, PO Box 22, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 OHA, ENGLAND): A varied
selection of songs, existing somewhere in the pop/psychedelic axis.
Side one couples lead Astronaut Mark with a full band for a bunch
of easygoing Brit-pop that chugs along quite nicely without ever
getting too flowery. The second side features Mark with just one
other feller that emphasizes fuller production values and superior
singing. It's too bad that there are only three songs on this side;
the lush atmosphere created ends too quickly before you can get
"in orbit". (LP/RJL)__
ATTACK SQUAD, "Carcinogenic" ($5-from Shadow Canada, 5
Admiral Rd„ Toronto, ONT, M5R 2L4, CANADA): Shadow seems
destined to be compared to Wax Trax as a home for fine urban
MUSIC ACCESS
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98
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
industrial electronic dance music, and this album is another
high-grade notch in their handle. Six tracks of heavy rhythms and
bursty electronics with weirded-out vocals, it's a complete toe-tapper,
one that cannot be denied. A solid presence. (T/MG)[MA#1193]
AUDREY SMILEY, self-titled ($6.75 from 414 S. Griffith Park Dr.,
Burbank, CA 91506): Cleverly-arranged three-piece guitar rock that's
well enough done that one does not realize for quite a while that
the entire rhythm section is the bass guitar, no drums. The trio
trades off on lead vocals, moving from lighthearted upbeat numbers
like "Jack O. Lantern" to smoother, darker contemplative songs like
"Losing Proposition" with ease. Very professional stuff, not copying
any style but developing their own update to the pop idiom.
(T/MG)[MA#1194] _
AXEL GRINDERS, "Apparatus of Love" b/w "Don't Hurry, Be
Sappy" (Dionysus Records, PO Box 1975, Burbank, CA 91507):
Grungy music imported from New Zealand and pressed on clear
vinyl. Lots of sheer noise here, screaming, guitars run amuck; those
who wish carefully-constructed music should go elsewhere. The
devolved descendants of garage rock. (45/MG)
BAD MUTHA GOOSE AND THE BROTHERS GRIMM, "Tower
of Babel" (Alpha International Records, 1080 N. Delaware Ave.,
Philadelphia, PA 19125): Funky rap from down Texas way. The
showcased song here is "Be Somebody", an exhortation to get out
there and make something of yourself, penned with the justified
arrogance of success. "Time To Get" features some great high speed
vocal riffing—this is downright fun music. (T/MG) [MA#1195]
THE BARRACUDAS, "The Complete EMI Recordings"
(CapitolEMI of Canada, 3109 American Dr., Mississauga, ONT, L4V
1B2, CANADA): Over an hour of late-70's surf-pop with just the
occasional hint of punk, including three previously unreleased tracks.
"Summer Fun" and "The KGB (Made a Man Out of Me)" are among
the archetypically catchy tunes here, blasting guitars, non-stop
drumming, and in ane harmonized vocals. Fun stu ff. (CD/MG)
BASE APES, "Basement Masquerade Vol 5, Live at Rockin'
Robins" ($3 from Utjsen Recordings, PO Box 134, Waynesville, MO
65583) Metalloid thrash trio playing live at Rockin' Robins in Missouri.
With heavy distortion riffs, quick solos, lots of cymbals, and a
distanced ape-like vocal rant, titles like "Maggots" and "Manual
Dissection" are these ape's interests. Though the band is tight
enough, their approach is repetitious, as though the same song was
rehashed 11 times; this is not helped by the in-audience recording
with plenty of crowd reaction. You wouldn't miss much staying
home. (T/PMZ) _
BEAT HAPPENING, "Dreamy" (Sub Pop Records, 1932 First Ave,
Suite 1103, Seattle, WA 96101) Beat Happening is still playing a
unique blend of naively displaced rock; a don't care, can't play
attitude of spotty success. The first side is slow, Calvin's vocals
bored and even out of tune, though Heather carries some pretty
tunes. It's the second side that takes off, first with "Collide," a
strong song stripped to its essential energies, and "Revolution Come
and Gone," where the vocals are so obviated and angular that they
are unavoidably interesting. Unfortunately these are mixed with less
inspired songs, which is part of the on and off quality that takes
the punch out of this record. (LP/PMZ) _
THE BELL RAYS, self-titled (690 W. Blaine, Riverside, CA 92507):
Lisa Vennum's strong vocals make this band immediately memorable,
and their catchy brand of rock/jazz/blues keeps things pumping right
along. "Wishing Moon" is prime singles materials, lots of catchy
hooks and vocal harmonies. The band has a tight and professional
T.C.G. Recordings, Inc.
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sound, and sound extraordinarily happy to be bringing out good
solid music. (T/MG)_
JELLO BIAFRA WITH NOMEANSNO, "The Sky is Falling and
I Want My Mommy" ($7.50 from Alternative Tentacles, PO Box
11458, San Francisco, CA 94101): More heavy-duty high-ideology
music, with Jello ranting over a heavy punk background. "Bruce's
Diary" is an instant classic, a simple tale of the things They do to
enslve us. "The Myth is Real - Let's Eat" is another one, with Jello
still trying to wak e the youth up. Good luck. (LP /MG)
BIG O PRODUCTIONS, "Raggadubbin' UK" (ROIR, 611 Broad¬
way #411, New York, NY 10012): Dub versions of the latest
underground reggae from the marginal minority nightclubs of
London. Lots of funky rhythms here, synthetic noises that make no
pretense of being anything else, cool funky grooves to move your
tail. I would have appreciated liner notes telling me a tad more
about the musicians and a tad less about the movement, but
otherwise, a great release. (T/MG) _
BITE THE WAX TADPOLE, "O.D. On Bourgeoisie Boy Milk"
(Sound of Pig, PO Box 150022, Brooklyn, NY 11215-0001) Strange,
overdubbed, mild, madness filtered through very strong bass
rhythms and low lying guitar squeeks and spurts. Vocals are strictly
spoken word much like those of Alan Ginsberg. The words are
actually taken from Captain Beefheart, as well as Rudolph Hess,
and set to the soun ds of twittering birds and skippin g records. (T/RS)
BLACKGIRLS, "Happy" ($15.50 CD/$9 LP or tape from Mammoth
Mail Order, Carr Mill 2nd Floor, Carrboro, NC 27510): Another fine
album from this unique female trio of guitar, piano, and violin with
vocals that go from screeches to harmonies. This is indeed happier
than their last album, although the happiness is more in the lyrics
than the still-aggressive, buzzsaw core of their sound. There are.
gentler numbers here too, including some very nice combined
singing, and plenty of depths to delve into. A complex, challenging,
wonderful piece o f idiosyncratic music. (CD/MG)[M A# 1196]
BLACK INDIAN, "Vanishing American" (War Party Music, 2921
Shirley Lane, Oklahoma City, OK 73116): Long, rolling dirge rock
compositions. Thunderous drums/throbbing bass pierced by edgy
guitar/zombie vocals/hang-ten keyboard. The Indian motif works for
me. I see these guys at the end of ten miles of extension cord,
somewhere out on the windswept plains, playing under a bloated
harvest moon until dawn breaks and they collapse from utter
exhaustion. Honest I do. One-sided, splatter blue vin yl. Cool. (EP/KS)
BLUE MEANIES, "Nude Ain't Crude" (5416 Blodgett, Downers
& Grove, II., 60195) From southern Illinois comes this enjoyable
funkadelic-style groovethang, complete with wah-wah, modified
dub-style reggae, and the popping Chili Pepper bass that oh-so-many
boys are bopping to. "Too Much Shit" jumps back and forth between
an melancholy backbeat with wonderful horn playing and very, very,
very fast punk. The title track is an anti-PMRC, pro nakedness ditty.
Get the Funk Out! (T/TG) _
BOILED IN LEAD, "Orb" (Atomic Theory, PO Box 1122,
Minneapolis, MN 55458): More great wild world-folk music with
electric touches and a bizarre sense of humor. Their material ranges
from the bluegrass "Hard Times" (about President McKinley's
assassination) to the "Armenian grunge" song "Harout". Appala¬
chian, psychobilly, Swedish drinking songs; who knows what these
boys will come up with next? The only thing you can be sure of
is that it will be fi ne, fine music. (CD/MG)[MA#11 97j
BONGOHEAD, "Penelope" w/ "Shackles & Bones" (Coconut Boy
Records, PO Box 17, Metuchen, NJ 08840-0017) A couple of nice
pop tunes from this NY/NJ trio, using funky rhythms with straight
beats over which decent guitar solos are played. What's strange is
that, as generally upbeat as they sound, the topics are about a
young girl ("Penelope") in parental conflict as she associates with
boulevard punks, and a serial killer ("Shackles & Bones") escaping
justice. Not exactly happy material, yet the music never gives a
hint. They say that they don't take themselves too seriously, but
I'd say that the music doesn't integrate well with the point of the
songs. (T/PMZ)
BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS, "Live Hardcore Worldwide"
(Jive c/o RCA, 1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036):
I dunno whether this is really rap's first "legit" live record (as the
PR claims) or not, but it is one fine piece of loud hip-hop, recorded
in London, New York, and Paris. Hits here include "Stop the
Violence", "South Bronx" and "The Eye Opener". If you dig hip-hop.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
99
this is a must have; if you want to sample this aggressive school
of verbalizing, it's a decent place to start. (CD/MG )
BOROX ORGY, self-titled ($5 from K. Kreider, Box 70791,
Washington, DC 20024) A refreshingly silly pop rock trio that crosses
a Camper Van sound with Zappa's 'Water Turn Black' influences,
and maybe a little Red Kross (probably because they claim to have
a former member of the Brady Bunch in their band). It's a strange
jangly sound with layered vocal ridiculousness and humorous lyrics,
not the tightest or most technical you've ever heard (practice material
included), but it's a relaxed and unpretentious, never leaving melody
far behind. Odd packaging of good quality tape in a shabby insert,
the 16 songs are recorded 3 times in a row over the entire tape.
(T/FMZ) _
THE BOUNTY, "Walk With The Giants" (H.M.S., 2147 1/2 W.
Broad St, Columbus, OH 43223) Nice guitar pop borrowing far too
heavily from the U2 mold, particularly in a strained emotional vocal
take. While they play some good hooks with decent instrumental
interplay and occassionally expressive lyrics, it's offset by the obvious
influences they're reaching for, and the diched images and insipid
metaphors that result from trying to write like another band. The
results are pretty and melodic with a bland emotive sense of a
sameness that isn't even their own; I'd be interested to hear what
this band could do if they applied their talents to their own unique
vision. (LP/PMZ) __
BOY IN LOVE, "On TV, How do I love thee? Let me count the
ways. Channel 3, Channel 5...." ($3 from Dave Schall, PO Box 2143,
Stow, OH 44224): This one is somewhere between cute and cheesy,
cruddy whining punk/pop that focuses on television. Sometimes it
degenerates into confused spoken word, but mostly it is TV-inspired
songs combines with junior high toile rock. "Use Your Penis" says
it all. (T/MG) __
BRAINBOMBS, "Anne Frank" & "No Guilt" (BBC, Box 6170, 102
33 Stockholm, Sweden) A lone trumpet opens the loudly muddled
noise fest of this Stockholm band's single. With a bombastic sound
of clatterous cymbals, cranking and whining guitar and heavy bass,
a weirded out, mutated voice indecipherably rants, drawing an image
of "Anne Frank" I'd never previously conceived. "No Guilt" comes
closer to the concept of a song with a thrash cut that continues the
rant. One big, noi sy, purposely messy single. (7'7 PMZ)
BRAZIL CLASSICS 3, "Forro Etc." (Luaka Bop, Inc., 75
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908) Artists well versed in
traditional Brazilian folk music that have headed for a more
commercial way of creating their music, and a way of making it
more accessible to the world. This work is still being compiled by
David Byrne, who describes Forro as music sounding most like a
combination of ska and polka. (T/RS)
BREAKDOWN, "Killing Time" ($3.50 from Ken Helwig, PO Box
641, Saratoga, CA 95071): This three piece has a sound that's mainly
punk, with an undercurrent of anger, but with an overlay of cheerful
poppiness. The result is some definite confusion, hopeful lyrics over
crunchy music, love songs with thrashing chords behind them. It's
rather different, a nd strangely attractive. (EP/MG)
THE BREATHERS, "Bullet Kiss" (129 Lindsey Ct., Franklin Park,
NJ 08823): Four songs of fairly light college-oriented pop/rock music.
"Beautiful" is the best of the bunch, a strong closer that is loaded
with melody and easy to hum along to before it's over. Impeccably
polished and doin g well on the charts. (CD/MG)
BROMPTON COCKTAIL, self-titled ($5 from 1117 W. Benton
St., Iowa City, IA 52246): A lot of zines are refusing to review tapes
these days. This is a prime example of why we continue to do so—I
wouldn't have missed this one for the world. Brompton Cocktail
have a hard-driving alternative sound, sort of college rock, but with
great anarchist lyrics. "My Kingdom For A Horse" is almost sarcastic,
while "All You Have to Give" rubs people's noses in the realities
of workaday drudgery. Jennifer McLeary puts a lot into the vocals,
and she's ably bac ked on this winner. (T/MG)[MA f 1198]
BULLETBOYS, "Freak Show" (Warner Bros., 3300 Warner Blvd.,
Burbank, CA 91505): These guys sound like they grew up listening
to Van Halen, soaking it into their pores, and now it's sweating
back out. I don't really mind, since they do that classic guitar
pyrotechnics gig better than either that band or David Lee Roth
these days. It's not real deep music, but it puts forth an amazing
amount of sound, and for some, that's what it's a ll about. (T/MG)
BULLS BLOOD LABORATORY, "2/91" ($5 or trade from Wayne
N., 1615 East Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148) Perhaps folk
noise comes closest to describing this tape: the recurring elements
are electric and acoustic guitars in a folkish mode of relaxed
progressions and slow picking. This is set over distanced noisy
drums, interjected sounds and percussive instruments, including
kalimba. These elements become the basis of abstracted spoken word
pieces, voice overdubs (including John Cage), and meandering
mournful songs. Pleasantly confused and wandering nicely, devel¬
oping some nice moments. (T/PMZ) _
BUTTERFIELD 8, "Euclid Ave." ($12 from Banana Records, PO
Box 16621, Cleveland, OH 44116): Simple pop, glimmering with
strongly melodic guitar lines and Jim Butterfield's mellow singing.
Backed with plenty of harmonizing vocals as well as a nice harmonica
line on "Oh, Theresa", this release has plenty of nice ear candy to
hum along to. (C D/MG)[MA# 1199] _
BUTTSTEAK, "Fatty's Got More Blood" (Merkin Records, 310 E.
Biddle St., Baltimore, MD 21202): Twenty six tracks of sonic madness.
These people (number and name unknown) lash together mistuned
guitars, found sounds, yowling and just plain noise in the course
of this CD. It churns and roils, avoiding any predictability beyond
that of chaos, and switches from Sonic Youth dissonance to brief
bursts of melody at the drop of a guitar. (CD/MG )
THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS, "Piouhgd" (Rough Trade, 611
Broadway, Suite 311, NY, NY 10012) If this album were half as
weird as the sleeve photos, we'd be all set. But Butthole Surfers
with strings? Well, string-like synth anyway. What was once a
psycho-crunch warped band has become a forced humor bland. A
Jesus and Mary Chain take off? Sax sections with organ? "Blindman"
is the only real Surfer cut on the disk, but it's not enough. Check
out the press sheet: "their most accessible and diverse work..."
"mainstream acceptance is a goal..." Not what I'd expect from
Buttholes, but I guess the Creamed Com^days are over, replaced
TRIPTIC OF A
PASTEL FERN!
STAR VERSUS CUBE
T HI NEW ALBUM ON LP
POISON PLANT MUSIC
7 WOODS END PLACE
ROC KV I L L E ,MD . 208 54
F ROM
$6
100
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
by this or dancey Jackofficer junk. Really disappoi nting. (LP/PMZ)
CAPPING DAY, "Post No Bills" (Popllama Products, PO Box
95364, Seattle, WA 98145-2364): Lush pop music full of visions made
more real by the harmonies between Laura Weller and Bonnie
Hammond. They do produce lovely music, with ideas a-skitter in
all directions, ready to enfold the listener with is prettyness. If all
you know of Seattle is Sub Pop, you're in for a pleasant surprise.
(CD/MG)[M A# 1200]_
KID CAPRI, "Kid Capri: The Tape" (Cold Chillin'/Warner
Brothers, 3300 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505): Storytelling rap
that wanders from straight a capella rhyming to bass-heavy hip-hop
beats. Capri has a talent for lyrics and observation, and a vigilante
sense of justice—he recommends stringing up child abusers, and
"Billy" has to cool his scams because Capri is going to tell the cops.
Law'n'order rap—a somewhat disconcerting combi nation. (T/MG)
GIORGIO FABBRI CASADEI, "Music for Electric Guitars"
(Giorgio Fabbri Casadei, Via Alessandrini 4, 47037 Rimini (Fo),
ITALY): Percussive and dissonant music for electric and prepared
guitars very much in the spirit—though not the style—of Cage's
prepared piano. Casadei uses few effects and often no overdubs,
preferring instead to focus on the timbre and tone of the plucked,
strummed, or violently struck strings. The compositions he produces
are hence unhampered by concerns with conventional tuning or
structure, or so the theory goes. Here the results are quite arresting.
The sole "cover", a Thelonious Monk piece, fits in seamlessly with
the original works, which should give you some idea where this
guy is coming fro m. Excellent. (T/K5) _
CATHERINE WHEEL, "Almost Blind" b/w "Sunny Sunday" &
"Look At Her" (That's Bizzarre Management, PO Box c515 Clarence
St, Sydney, Australia) Andrea Croft has a very pretty voice that
harmonizes well; set in clear acoustic pop, it makes a gently and
lovely sound with a Bangles flavor. "Almost Blind" is the single,
opening to the sounds of the street, and with it's clear vocal
production, layering buildup, and radio fade, is recognizable as such.
To my ears, the shorter b side cuts- "Sunny Sunday," in vocal
harmony with bassist Grant, and the softer "Look At Her"- are
more honest and rewarding, with a loose edge that fits well with
their stylistic grace. (45/PMZ)
THE CATHERINE WHEEL, "Blue Avenue" b/w "Last Explana¬
tion" (TTiats Bizarre Management, PO Box c515, Clarence St. Sydney,
Australia) Smooth, no-frills pop that supports itself mainly with
melodic harmonies very similar to those of the Bangles. "Blue
Avenue" is the original first release of this popular Australian group
starting off with a slow alto sax progression that builds into a
comfortable walking pace song. The flip side is more of the same
soft guitar based pop. (45/RS) _
JAMES CHANCE AND THE CONTORTIONISTS, "Soul Exor¬
cism" (ROIR, 611 Broadway #411, New York, NY 10012): A rollicking
punk-flavored jazz performance featuring Chance doing lead vocals
and plenty of sax, with Patrick Geoggrois's slide guitar playing
notable in the backup. The tape is split up into songs, but it's almost
hard to notice; the energy level is so high that it all blends together
into one manic performance. (T/MG)
BRIAN CHARLES, "Crystal Forest" (85 4th PI., Brooklyn, NY
11231): Liquid music which seems to be a cross between modern
semi-experimental electronics and ancient traditional cultures. With
wooden whistle in one place and altered vocals in another, a sax
and some guitar, and plenty of synth, Brian puts together a mutable
album that's fun t o try to follow. Very upbeat, ver y likable. (T/MG)
THE BRAIN CHARLES GROUP, demo tape (85 4th PI., Brooklyn,
NY 11231): This ensemble features Brian on sax, oboe and vocals,
with others playing percussion, cello and guitar. Ellen Christi adds
her own vocals to the mix, which ranges from spacy dreamy hypnotic
to polyrhythmic eclectic multicultural music. Fine stuff, something
like world beat in its blendings but more relaxed and contemplative.
(T/MG) [M A# 1201]
CHEMICAL PEOPLE, "Getaway" b/w BIG DRILL CAR, "Surren¬
der" (Cruz Records, PO Box 7756, Long Beach, CA 90807) This split
7" features covers of old Kiss and Cheap Trick songs, both of which
are harder and faster than the originals, but not necessarily better.
When I visualize what a Big Drill Car might sound like, I don't
quite hear hook-laden cutesy Southern Ca. post-punk, but that's just
what they chum out. And despite the hype, the Chemical People
don't sound all that different, although the cartoon of them dressed
up like various members of Kiss on the cover was good for a
laugh.(45/TG) _
MARLON CHERRY, "Pete" (Fang Records, PO Box 652, New
York, NY 10009-0652) Poetic lyrics sung in a narrative style prevail
on this brilliant release. Every piece on this album seems as though
it was meticulously selected to uphold the amazing quality of the
whole. All instrumentation (keys, classical ancLrock guitars, drums,
bass) was done by Marlon himself, who exhibits proficiency in all
according to his a rt rock style. (LP/RS) _
CHLA PET, self-titled (Johann's Face Records, PO Box 479164,
Chicago, IL 60647) Funk and psychedelia in a Chili Pepper meets
Hendrix mold are mixed for the college crowd. Mach Fly Boneapart
handles 'vocal stylisations,' doing the hard white rap rant that
occassionally throws out an insightful or imagistic line, but generally
goes on about the ladies, drinking, and how a man should be.
Behind him, the band plays hard, with funky guitar fills and sax
riffs, pulling out a nice acid wah jam on "Flyin So High (On Sponge
Pepper)". All of these elements seem brought down a bit by the
obvious college intent, but it's a good set of hard rocking funk and
more. (LP/PMZ)
CHICKEN CATCHATORY, "Chicken Lickin' 3ood" ($3 CASH
from SOM Communications, 810 Pine Cone Ln, Colonial Heights,
VA 23834): "Scruff Metal" that takes some old standards ("Foxy
Lady", "Give Peace a Chance") and writes new lyrics for them
(respectively "Spiderman" and :Give Peace a Chance"). They do a
few originals as well. Basically, it sounds like tinny metal recorded
in a basement; they had fun, but I'm not sure listeners will. (T/MG)
CHICKENSHIT LOGJAM, self-titled (Ironclad Records, PO Box
7762, Rapid City, SD 57709): Four man hardcore outfit from South
Dakota. This eight song debut LP on their own Ironclad Records
claims to save listeners from the stagnant hardcore music that is
flooding today's underground scene, but the stuff on this record has
not quite measured up to their bold proclamation. Not bad, but it
won't change the face of hardcore as we know it. (LP/DW2)
CHILLY UPTOWN, "This is my method" (Ever Rat/Ever Rap,
PO Box 99284, Seattle, WA 98199): Rap, heavy on the scratching
and sampling and with some innovative lyrics. There's not a lot to
distinguish between Chilly's various songs except the words, though,
and after a while the overall high-treble scratch sound is sort of
maddening. In a groove, but it's not a very wide one. (T/MG)
MICHAEL CHOCHOLAK, "Hotwired" (PO Box 38, Cove, OR
97824): Sharp synthetic work from one of the geniuses of the
home-taping scene. The stuff here seems to have all sorts of razor
edges and pointy wires sticking out from it, waiting to snag the
unwary sonic passers-by. "Vodka & Insects" is my favorite title here,
which like the rest is very bouncy, quick-change music; a puddle
of sounds changing character as each sonic event falls in creating
waves and ripples. Jittery music for an uncertain future. (T/MG)
CHRONICAL DISTURBANCES, "Foggy Creek" ($12 from SA
Bucher, 35 Rue De Vaientigney, 25,400 Audincourt, France) At first.
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
101
this blast from our neighbors to the north in Quebec sounded it
would be a spookier Pink Floyd, but the Disturbances didn't waste
too much time in that vein, and broke into a tight gut-chunk of
power riffing and sonic speed metal. Lyrically, I thought the guy
was singing in French, or hate Latin, but realized after awhile that
it was some mutant scream of English. This is a journey through
well-traveled territory, and the occassional foray into pastoral guitar
appregios and wad-blowing solos were took away from the
moshworthiness of it, which is a critical element to any music of
this ilk.(T/TG) _
COMMAND CO, "Automation Virus Overload" ($5 from Shadow
Canada, 5 Admiral Rd., Toronto, ONT, M5R 2L4, CANADA):
Electronic dance/industrial with a great title. Very aggressive beats,
distorted vocals and guitars, wild pulsing rhythms, and plenty of
samples give this one a rawer sound than many of the bands in
the same general area. Straight voltage overload feed to the back
lobes of your brain. (T/MG)[MA#1202]
THE CONCEPT, "Homegirl" (American Record Distribution, 1500
E. Chevy Chase Dr., Glendale, CA 91206): Fairly unexceptional dance
music in three different mixes. There's a lot of vocal harmonies, a
quiet beat, and music that's so unimportant to the producers that
the musicians don't even get credited on the label. Perhaps they
are all electronic. ( CD/MG) _
NORMAN CONQUEST, self-titled ($3.50 from 234 E. 7th St.
#1FE, New York, NY 10009): Norman sings bad music of the past
decades—turkeys like "The Bitch is Back" and "Along Comes
Mary"—in a voice somewhere between Barbra Streisand and Flipper
(the dolphin, not the punk group). A tinny sax and keyboards
backing serves to exacerbate the digestive upset. Is this guy for
real? I hope not. ( T/MG) _
CONTENDER, self titled ($6.00 from Purified Rock Music, PO
Box 444, Gurnee, IL 60031) Fleavy metal from this contemporary
Christian group with a reverb, jammed out guitar sound and a
vocalist that sounds as if she grew up listening to Pat Benatar. Story
line verses with repetetive choruses and fast breaks into guitar solos
that shred for God. (T/RS)_
COUNT ZEE, "Orgy of Seven" and WIMPY HICKSTER, "Circle
Sanctuary" ($3 from Utsjen Records, PO Box 134, Waynesville, MO
65583): A split tape of high-energy guitar bands. Count Zee goes
in for a fuzzy sound, very much out of the garage, but focused
almost entirely on lead guitar. Wimpy Hickster is perhaps more
playful, with the William Tell Overture intruding into their metallic
slugfest at one point. (T/MG)[MA#1510j
COVERT, "Bang Bang" (American Record Distribution, 1500 E.
Chevy Chase Dr., Glendale, CA 91206): Three different mixes of a
single piece of club dance music. The beat is strong, the lyrics are
just about what you would expect—joyful thoughts of doing the
"bang bang" with a couple of women. Covert seem pretty happy
to be themselves, or pretty full of hubris, one or the other. (EP/MG)
CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALK, "Fucker's Concerto" (Runk
Records, PO Box 4672, Albuquerque, NM 87196): Aggressive rock
with plenty of changeup tempos and funky bass lines. They start
off with a classic concert tune-up, but any pretense of classical
connections vanishes after that as they dive headlong into chewy
noises. No info accompanies this, not even the band member names,
but with tune like "Black Rabbit" they seem to be having fun as
well as cleaning o ut ear canals. (CD/MG) _
THE CRASH TEST DUMMIES, "The Ghosts That Haunt Me"
(Arista Alternative, 6 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019): Eclectic
modem rock music from a Canadian quartet. They bring in bits of
jigs, dirges, old Replacements songs, and who knows what else
here. Brad Roberts' vocals give the impression of sharing a private
joke with the listener, suggesting there is more to the stories than
meets the ear. The accordion and mandolin backings lend a nice
flavor to the stew. (T/MG) _
CRAWLING WITH TARTS, "AA Redbox Pahoehoe" ($5.00 from
ASP, 633 Cleveland St. #4, Oakland, CA 94606-1006) A live radio
broadcast featuring S. Dycus, Das, M. Gendereau, and C. Neighbors.
Instruments played include wind instruments, primitive percussion,
and loops. Often sounding ritualistic then evolving into fits of
delirium. Sometimes very minimalistic and other times too thick to
listen to. (T/RS)_
ELECTROAC
IMPACT
Works by Serge Arcuri, Gary Kulesha, Alexina Louie, Jean Piche
Beverley Johnston, percussion; James Campbell, clarinet
CMC-CD 2786 $23.98
OUSTIC
MUSIC
ON COMPACT DISC
THE THRESHOLD OF DEAFENING SILENCE
Works by Paul Dolden
TRD-0190 $21.00
CATBIRD SEAT
Works by David Jaeger, Larry Lake, James Montgomery
Canadian Electronic Ensemble
TRAP-9003-CD $25.98
LIEUX INOUIS (UNHEARD-OF PLACES)
Works by Robert Normandeau
IMED-9002 $18.00
DIGITAL SOUNDSCAPES
Works by Barry Truax
Steven Field, horn
CRS-CD 8701 $25.98
SHADOW BOX
Works by Chan Ka Nin, David Jaeger, Larry Lake, Denis Lorrain, Pierre Trochu
Lawrence Chemey, oboe; Rosemarie Landry, soprano; Robert Leroux,
percussion; Joseph Petrie, accordion; Toronto Percussion Ensemble
CMC-CD 3288- $23.98
LIGNE DE VIE (LIFE LINES)
Works by Christian Calon
IMED-9001 $18.00
VOLT
Works by Alain Thibault
Jacques Drouin, piano; Pauline Vaillancourt, soprano;
Quatuor de saxophones de Montreal
IMED-9003 $18.00
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20 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1J9 CANADA (416) 961*6601
Free catalogues available on request. Visa phone orders accepted.
102
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
CRAWLING WITH TARTS, "Death Ranch" ($5 from ASP, 633
Cleveland St #4, Oakland, CA 94606-1006) This tape releases '87
material previously available as a bootleg. Unlike their more acoustic
work, this is a tape of industrial darkness and experimentation; an
eerily reverberant set of tone pieces. The sound is layered of dense
and backward tracks, throbbing cycles with feedback gyrations,
metallic scrapings and slow destruction, all unfolding moodily. The
exception comes in a whimsical narration on Enquirer-style headlines
(yes, there is a Rochester, NY), serving to return the drifting listener
briefly back to reality before being lost once again in these aural
mutations. (T/PMZ)_
CULT OF ONE, self-titled (PMS Records, PO Box 837, Buena
Park, CA 90621-0837) Debut six song ep from this quartet, filling
the a side with relaxed rock grooves of a warm sound, and then
opening up to more rocking numbers on the b side. Several styles
are heard, from a layed back strongly REM cloned piece, to a funky
rock tune, a straight rocking piece with more REM influences, and
an obviously placed mellower FM tune- the recommended DJ cut.
The playing and vocals are emotional and well done, and everything
sounds good and tempered and proper, but I keep getting the feeling
I've heard it all b efore. (EP/PMZ) _
CYBERAKTIF, "Tenabrea Vision" (Wax Trax, 1659 N. Damen
Ave, Chicago, IL 60647) Very much like their Wax Trax counterparts.
Suicide, with general heavy beats, tonal rhythms, and voice samples-
heavyduty industrial dance music with a good continuos beat
perfectly crafted for movement. (T/RS)
CYCLONE TEMPLE, "I Hate...Therefore I Am" (Combat, 187-07
Henderson Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): Heavy metal that has some
good licks and more melody than guitar-strangling, but overall a
certain flatness. There's a spark that just doesn't quite seem to be
here, which leaves the cyclone more of a small dust devil. (CD/MG)
THE CYNICS, "I Don't Need You" b/w "Girl, You're On My
Mind" (Get Hip Records, PO Box 666, Canonsburg, PA 15317) Basic
down and dirty rock with a couple of songs about girls. "I Don't
Need You" is about the singer not needing some woman, with a
Dylan-esque harmonica blowing over the roots of rock riffs, while
"Girl, You're On My Mind" is about a woman who doesn't need
the singer. Purely retro rock. (45/PMZ)
DABECY, "Sabbat" (Darren M. Cutlip, 937 W. Cardinal Dr.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94087) A cassette full of gunshots and electronic
terrorism at its best. Pieces titled "Scourge", "A Provoked Demon¬
stration", and "Government Subversion" as well as others. A strong
tape release from Dabecy, exemplifying thoughts in a medium that
is capable of capturing the grotesqueness. (T/RS)
DAG NASTY, "Can I Say", "Wig Out at Denko's" ($9 from
Dischord Records, 3819 Beecher St, NW, Washington, DC 20007-1802)
Dynamic DC hardcore of articulate and considerate views backed
by demanding, driving music. The vocals are up front, concerned
with responsibility and actions, very much in the Minor Threat vein
by subject and execution. That comparison, along with a Fugazi
similarity, carries into the music, heard in chugging guitar riffs and
roller coaster dynamics. With so much energy over so much material
(2 releases on one disk), it can get wearying, but with a little
programming, that's small criticism for a band that's among the best
of current hardcore. (CD/PMZ)
OWEN DAVIS, "Fred MacMurray on Safari" (Too Big Music, PO
Box 469, Morgantown, WV 26507): Cheerful laid back music, full of
percussion, easy guitar, and Owen's voice. It's based, so the liner
notes say, on a couple of years in the Peace Corps in the Philippines.
Owen sings of the mistrust, the relationships, being mistaken for
the CIA and more. Nice polyrhythmic heartfelt stuff.
(CD/MG)[M A# 1204]_
DAZZLING KILLMEN, "Numb" b/w "Bottom Feeder" (Sawtooth
Records, PO Box 215, Wood River, IL 62095): Thick syrupy three-piece
rock, a conglomeration of tracks that at times sounds like they don't
all belong in one song. Heavy bass, plenty of ominous vocals,
percussion to make the ears pop. This is the sort of dirty sloppy
psychosis-inducing music that I have always been partial to, and
goes well at a vol ume high enough to rattle the w indows. (45/MG)
DEAD GODS, "Fighting & Killing to Die" (Delinquent Revenge,
3751 Little Neck Pt. Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23452) Ugly ranting
and grinding hardcore of a low order, very poorly recorded live.
The show consists of the singer, listed as 'throat'- shouting above
the basic chords that the band fumbles and stumbles with. Generally
obnoxious, why a Hendrix cover needed to be rewritten to "'scuse
me while I fuck the sky" with overdrama tic stupidity is beyond me.
Skip this one. (T/PMZ)_
DECIMATION, "The Dark Embrace" ($5 from 6972 Brandywine
Rd., Parma Hts., OH 44130): Dark metal with an heavy attitude,
preaching self-reliance in a sea of troubles. They have a good together
sound that cuts through a lot of fluff, requiring some emotional
response on the part of the listener. Neat cover art on this demo
tape too. (T/MG)[ MA#1205] _
DEMOLITION HAMMER, "Tortured Existence" (Century Media,
1605 N, Cahuenga Blvd. #200, Hollywood, CA 90028): I don't know
if these guys were med students before they discovered thrash metal,
or what, but they certainly get the hospitals into their songs.
Infectious waste, bubonic plague and rabies are just a few of their
cheerful topics, all over a grinding morass of guitars and heavy
rhythms. Call out the anesthesiologists! (T/MG)
MARK DERY, "in mute nostril agony" (Sound of Pig, PO Box
150022, Brooklyn, NY 11215-0001): This tape was accompanied by
one of the more eloquent press releases I've come across, and it is
a good tool for understanding Der/s stuff (though not essential).
On a more immediate level, his sung-spoken tales are a surreal part
of the urban/tribal rhythmic soundscape. There's lots of found
samples over chimes and other interesting, organic percussives. A
crank phone call to a new age psychic pendulum aligner from a
guy claiming to have a broken clock is a great lot of fun. It's audibly
influenced by Ken Nordine's (totally groovy) "Word Jazz", and Dery
is half of Bite the Wax Tadpole. Highly recommended, literate and
interesting audiosc apes. (T/KF) _
DEVASTATION, "Idolatry" (Combat Records, 187-07 Henderson
Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): Cor thrash metal^impeccably executed.
Devastation start this album out with some ominous classical strains,
but quickly swing it over to mega-guitars and fast-paced vocals.
Their lyrics have an appropriately apocalyptic feel to them, and the
whole is designed to leave the listener cowering in paranoid terror.
(T/MG) _
LA DEVIATION, "Inkubox 1717" ($7 cash from Marco Milanesio,
Via S. Andrea 20, 10048 Vinovo (TO), Italy) This Italian trio seeks
the darker side that blends rigid rhythms with industrial sounds.
The translated lyric insert describes literate images of a wanderer's
sense of life and death in the shadows. These images are introduced
in narrative fashion over slowly unfolding rhythms, guitar, and synth
work that is integrated with minimal layers of sustaining generated
sounds. The mood shifts from a sense of deep shame to a thrust
of synthetic beats, not always carrying the mood they're seeking,
but often evoking a feeling of dark perversity that unfolds with
subtlety. (T/PMZ)
DINOSAUR JR., "Green Mind" (Sire Records, 75 Rockefeller
Plaza, 20th Floor, NY, NY 10019) The dissolution of Dinosaur from
5 men to 3 to 1 leaves just J. Mascis
producing, performing and writing,
with a little assistance from drum¬
mer Murph and Don Fleming. As
might be expected, the sound is
different while still remainging Di¬
nosaur, the biggest difference in the
loss of the wall of guitar sound,
and the foreground obviousness of
the drums; Mascis' voice is also
more up front and fragile in his
unique off-tune aching. Overall, it's
a decent record with solid playing
and some strong hooks, but lacking
the tempered power that made the
earlier records so effective. (T/PMZ)
DIRT, "Ripoff" b/w "Clouds
Obscured" and "Move On Up" ($3
ppd from Three Minute Mile Re¬
cords, Simon Fraser University,
T.C. 216, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6,
CANADA): "Professional" rock-riff-
ing with a smidge of funk and
metal thrown in for good measure. w * . w w i
What saves this record from being J," 4 , ‘/nqucnt Revenge
too cliche is a very fried guitar 3751 Little fleck Pt Rd
Virginia Beach VA 23452
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FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
103
sound. Too bad it' s not played as creatively. (45/R JL)
DOOMWATCH, "Crankin'21" b/w "3 Chord Opera" (Doomwatch
c/o Zombie Management, PO Box 14281, Pittsburgh, PA 15239-0281)
They are very loud, and very fast, by definition one might know
it as "hardcore," but these guys add that thin edge of metal that
gives them a bolt of lightening to wield as they wish. The screamed
out vocals and heavy duty instrumentation leave one stunned after
only one song. I can't even imagine a whole album of this stuff-
thank goodness it' s a 45. (45/RS) _
DO OR DIE, "Crush and Feel It" (Postbox 6043, 1005 EA
Amsterdam, The Netherlands): This naive, glam-rocking, and
competent four-piece band play light-duty metal. The 12" by 24"
sheet inside is a collage of art, xerox and handwritten lyrics, and
includes a hand clutching a peace sign to remind you this is not
death metal. Humorless and fluffy lyrics get lead singer Kirsten's
true hard-rock woman treatment, and she can really sing, and the
band can really pl ay. Nothing spectacular, but sin cere. (LP/KF)
DREAMING OUT LOUD, self-titled (Coast to Coast Entertain¬
ment, 6253 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028): A three-piece
rock band which relies a bit too heavily on not-very-harmonized
vocals, an arena rock trick that falls flat here. "There Snow Beach",
apparently their flagship number, is the worst example of this—a
few guitar licks and vocals that sound like a cross between some
of the crowd sings of Rocky Horror and "We Are The World".
(T/MG)[MA#1206] _
SEAN DRESDEN & JIMMY RAY BAKER, "Unreal! The Music
of the 60's" (Rockoff, 218 S. Main St, Hightstown, NJ 08520) Spoofing
the 60's, Baker and Dresden build their own surreal world of fictitious
bands, compiling and illustrating their importance in a tiny 16 page
booklet. From folk to pop to pyschedelic to bubblegum, picking on
the British, surf, and even German pop, these are goofy songs
recreated with a rash of sixties cliches. And it's not just songs like
"I Married My Toaster" that make this fun, but the descriptions and
concocted connections that unify this into a knowledgeably non-se-
rious tribute, valuing the music of the 60's while still recognizing
how silly it all was. (T/PMZ)
SARAH DREW, "Infinite Personality Complex" (Sarah Drew c/o
The Synaesthe tic Studio, PO Box 12771, Berkely, CA 94701) Sarah's
voice simmers through the ongoing curtain of simple melody bits
and vocal and mechanical noise. Lyrics tell stories of the stangest
sort, or they simply go on talking and talking about what seems
like nothing and everything all at once. She is truly a witch or a
magician or an intensly strong person/woman or maybe not even a
human. All things considered, it is an intensely beautiful work.
(T/RS) _
MARK E, "Sammy Supreme My Man!" ($3 from Mark Robinson
c/o Teen Beat, PO Box 50373, Washington, DC 20091) Style stealing
and extending the 7", Unrest's Mark E. stuffs 10 dissimilar songs
on one disk with a smooth flow of pop, rock, samples, and absurdity.
The record opens with 90's commentary, then drops to a fluffy 70's
strum, followed by a Pitchfork- ish punk piece. Sexual stream of
conciousness over droning synth finishes the 1st side. Side 2 has
folkish pop, flamenco guitar, a didactic percussive song (the weakest
spot on the disk), new wavish rock, relaxed country ramble, and
ends with sampled operatics. An awful lot for one 'single', but done
with odd eclectic control. (7"/PMZ) _
■SMIRELDA A HER TEST RESUITS
TEENAGE ROMANCE MAKES ME SICK
THE BALLAD OF ALEXANDRA LIPSHITZ
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JOHN EBERLY, "Into White" ($5 from Mumbles, PO Box 8312,
Wichita, KS 67208): More loose garage blues rock stuff from John,
who plays with a real joy. The arrangements here seem designed
to emphasize the fun of playing rock, the sheer exuberance that
comes from making noise that fits together, and occasionally (as on
the title cut) dissolves into primal chaos. (T/MG)[MA#1207]
EMPTY TOMB, "Live Like a Dead Man" ($6 from PO Box 20714,
Salem, OR 97307-0714): This tight 5 piece thrashcore band offers
social commentary from a Christian standpoint, so while one song
gripes about the injustices of the ACLU, another one blames all
AIDS-related deaths on homosexuals. Lyrics aside. Empty Tomb
manages to put out some decent quality music—at times breakneck
speed thrash, other times heavy bass laden mosh parts with a good
mixture of the two. Deep throated, clear vocals throughout, as
opposed to your usual incoherent thrash screeching. (T/DW2)
ESMIRELDA AND HER TEST RESULTS, "Teenage Romance
Makes Me Sick" ($4 from Martin Murphy, Cat Box Productions, 3238
Hewitt Ave. #33, Silver Spring, MD 20906): More raucous rock from
this throaty, ballsy woman with a strong presence. This is a cassette
single, backed with "The Ballad of Alexandra Lipshitz", and featuring
Ron Holloway on sax. Happy cheerful outragous music for a good
time. (T/MG)[MA# 1208]_
FAITH NATION, "Subtle Violence" (Dead River Records, PO
Box 27, Orange Park, FL 32067): Dreamy emotional music, not quite
metal, more Gothic but without the grandstanding that that implies.
Lyrically they are quite strong; I was especially taken by "Clock
Work", which actually could make quite good sense as sociology.
Very solemn, very strong. (CD/MG)[MA#1209]
FASTBACKS, "Very Very Powerful Motor" (Popllama Products,
PO Box 95361, Seattle, WA 98145): Like some bastard halfbreed sired
by The Ramones and The Go Go's, and distantly related to the
Bush Tetras, Fastbacks funs amuck through the grungy guitar upbeat
pop music with a knowing smirk. Lively, raw stuff with a definite
basement or garag e attitude and an offkilter appe al. (LP/CS)
FEMBOT, "Whip Stitch Puppets" ($6 from Welcome to My World,
PO Box 8698, Moscow, ID 83843): A low-tech information age
extravaganza, replete with cheezy drum machine, cutesy synths, sax,
and sound bites/vocals. Songs about coffee, being raised by robots,
and "the Truth" put these Fembots a little closer to traditional spud
boy territory than you'd think, but Devolution is not an unpleasant
state to be in. (T/RJL)_
FIRE IN THE KITCHEN, "Theory of Everything" (Behemoth
Records, PO Box 27801, Las Vegas, NV 89102): I enjoyed this band's
self-produced demo and this record only heightens that. With a light
sound, part pop, part rock, two guitars, bass and drums, they do
quirky, friendly songs. They range from the opening heavy-metal
lyrical parody of "MacDeth" to the emotionally charged "The Fog".
Good stuff, with a pleasant occasional awkwardness to it.
(LP/MG)[M A# 1210]_
FISHBONE, "Bonin' in the Boneyard" (Columbia Records, 51 W.
52nd St., New York, NY 10019): Very offbeat strange funky soul
rock and roll music—a conglomeration of influences and beats in a
musical melting pot. "Hide Behind My Glasses" is perhaps the most
accessible song here, and even it is shot through with little bits of
vocal interplay and musical madness outside the cool traveling
groove. (CD5/MG)[ MA#1211] _
THE FLAMING LIPS, "Unconsciously Screamin'" ($10 from
Atavistic Video, PO Box 578266, Chicago, IL 60657-8266): Four songs
on colored vinyl in a wonderful holographic sleeve. The lead cut
comes from the "In a Priest Driven Ambulance" album, while the
others are new here, including the hot "Let Me Be It". Aural mayhem
reigns supreme as the Lips put their guitars and other noise sources
through a mini-ap ocalypse of psychedelic destructi on. (EP/MG)
FLESHDIG, "Falling Out of My Skin" (814 N. Dodge, Iowa City,
IA 52245): These guys have a very funky sound, but it's a hard-edged
funk, with little bits of metal sneaking in around the edges. They've
definitely managed to find their own groove, and they move along
as a tight unit, playing off one another's strengths and weaving
smoky jarring sou nds as they go. (T/MG) _
THE FLESH EATERS, "Dragstrip Riot" (SST Records, PO Box 1,
Lawndale, CA 90260) Chris D. is back with his old, new (new, old?)
band, and guess what, the Flesh Eaters sound is back too! A
combination of hard rocking songs as well as a few lovey, heart
wrenching, but convincing pieces. Great poetic lyrics are still sung
I
104
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
soulfully from Chris D. and are backed up well by equally strong
drums, bass, and guitars. Highlights of this double album are a new
version of "Agony Shorthand" and title song "Dragstrip Riot".
(2LP/RS) _
FORCE, "A Tone Testament" (2440 16th St. Box 121, San
Francisco, CA 94103): String music that ranges from eerily avant-gard
to more or less classical. No credits elucidate who is here, but it
sounds like several musicians, all building on themes, crashing
through barriers of consciousness. No easy pieces here, just music
to stretch the boundaries of the enjoyable and fascinating. (T/MG)
KRIST FORCE, "Aurora" ($5 from 2440 16th St. Box 121, San
Francisco, CA 94103): Eerie music featuring lots of strings, samples,
and slow, tension-inducing rhythms—though at times Force cuts
loose with a manic energy that reminds one of the Flaming Lips
and other current noisemongers. There is some truly beautiful music
here, echoes from the insides of a lonely mind, calling out for human
contact. (T/MG)_
ROBERT FORSTER, "Danger in the Past," (BMG, New York,
NY): Robert Forster's first solo effort since the Go-Betweens' demise
is more acoustic and brooding than the band's trademark sunny
pop. Mick Harvey's lushly sad piano lines are at times spoiled by
Foster's whiny vocals, but his guitar work is still on-target. This is
the perfect album for those who like stylistically sophisticated songs
with more than a bit of pathos, but Forster's self-obsessed songs
got on my nerves. "Baby Stones" stands out for its infectious hooks
and heartbroken lyrics, much like the Go-Betweens' "Right Here."
(T/DW)_
MO FOSTER, "Bel Assis" (Relativity, 187-07 Henderson Ave.,
Hollis, NY): No vocals to be found here, not even a smidge. Instead
Foster offers up lots of very nice instrumental work a la the IRS
No Speak series. It's not really new age—closer in some ways to
classical—but there is that "light, airy, upbeat" feeling that tends to
accompany many new age releases. There's also some light jazz
influences and just a touch of mellow pop/rock. The sax work is
particularly pretty and adds a nice richness to it all. This is the kind
of release that will really appeal to young, loose, semi-hip
professionals looking for something to mellow out to. Like a General
Mills Cafe Vienna commercial, "Bel Assis" is for lazy Sunday
afternoons, and cl ose times with good friends. (T/ CS)
PETE FOUNTAIN, "Swingin' Blues" (Ranwood Records, 1299
Ocean Ave #800, Santa Monica, CA 90401): Smooth and mellow sax
playing with a distinctive New Orleans sound to it. This is all
instrumentals, with a full swing band backing Fountain. He does
some classics including "Muskrat Ramble" and even "Amazing
Grace", plus original tunes. A fine way to spend the afternoon.
(CD/MG)[M A# 1212]_
THE VERNON FRAZER POETRY BAND, "Slam!" ($10 plus
postage from Vernon Frazer, 132 Woodycrest Drive, East Hartford,
CT 06118): The recitation on this tape is more declaiming that it
is speaking or singing, but the poems are backed up by a jazz
band. The poetry is usually snippets of ideas stuck together (much
like a pop song), while the style of the playing and of the
performance as a whole hearkens back to 1950's Bohemia (wherever
that was). The tape almost falls into the stereotype of the Beat
poet, beret on head, wagging his goatee'd chin at the cool
coffeehouse crowd, but the crazy band with a wonderfully squawking
sax and Frazer's own subtle bass playing turns the stereotype around:
they're so Beat, they're above stereotype. And looking for a college
gig. (T/GH) _
FUNERAL PARTY, self-titled (Soundbox Records, 345 Riverside
Dr. #6A, New York, NY 10025): Gothic rock, more or less, but not
as dull and tedious and gloomy as some examples of that genre.
Funeral party, led by Todd Sheehan's guitar and Adam Demers'
bass and vocals, puts a good deal of melody into their material,
and doesn't feel that it all has to be played at dirge tempo either.
Reminiscent of Joy Division or the Psychedelic Furs, this material
shows a good dea l of promise. (LP/MG) _
FUN IN THE ENDTIMES, "Fear the Name Saddam" (YZ Discs
& Tapes, 73 Anndom Ct., North Babylon^ NY 11703): The war
provoked a bunch of music, all of which is already beginning to
sound dated. This one isn't much, two tunes (the other titled
"Homeboy") in minor keys and tense vocals. A reaction to and a
provocation to hys teria. (T/MG) _
GEAR DADDIES, "Billy's Live Bait" (Polygram, 825 Eighth Ave.,
New York, NY 10019): Heartfelt rock shot through with an affecting
country twang, this is heartland music for the nineties—polished, a
bit uncertain in its unexpected major label clothing, and hummable.
Whether it's a desire to drive the Zamboni machine or just a look
at the "Color of Her Eyes", Billy Dankert and company deliver in
a fun fiesta. (CP/ MG)[MA#1242] _
THE GENERALS, "You'll Eat What We're Cookin" (Chaos
Network, 3652 Redford #1000, Detroit, MI 48224): Hard rocking fun
that moves back and forth from an almost bluesy balladness to
something like thrash. They put in little bits of piano and sax, but
the core is the guitars and harmonica combination that gives them
a distinctive sound. Plenty to appreciate here, along with some great
songs—the rollicking "You weren't Much of a Lady" is a great tune.
(CD/MG) __
THE GENIUS, "Words From The Genius" (Reprise Records, 75
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019): The Genius tries to convey
a message with his lyrics even as he occupies our time with smooth
seamless rap. Mixing up rap, rhythm, dance and hip hop, and
topping it off with the messages, you get rap music for the thinking
person. Not as energetic as MC Hammer, not as intense as Run
DMC and not as slick as Digital Underground. Instead it's somewhere
between all of the above. (T/CS) _
GHOST RIDER, "Ride" b/w "Destructox Fury" (American
Frequency, PO Box 100270, Brooklyn, NY 11210): With skulls on the
label and a clear vinyl pressing, this one seems aimed at the
collectors' market. It's sure not for music lovers, since the bulk of
the record consists of whoops of guitar feedback and long grinding
interludes. A life sentence on a seven-inch record. (45/MG)
GIBSON BROS., "The Man Who Loved Couch Dancing"
(Homestead Records, PO Box 800, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-0800)
Reduced from a quartet to Evans and Howland, the new GB record
is split between studio and live material. In the studio, these two
prove to be crude and jerky, with dull sampling, self-obsessed radio
snags, and stupid echoed dialog; only the angry dude set against
muzak comes off. When they finally settle down, they play some
decent bluesy and early rock songs, though marred by lyrics aiming
for stupid yucks. Live, it's just bluesy rock tunes, and joined by
Boss Hog's Christina and Spencer, isn't half bad. But overall, it's a
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
105
record I could live without. (LP/PMZ)
LOU GIGGER, "Ambience" and "Music & Noise" ($6.50 and $8
plus $1.50 s&h from Mardi Fisher, PO Box 584, Kensington, MD
20895): Very idiosyncratic takes on the terms "ambient", "music"
and "noise", all done on four track. The "Ambience" cassette consists
of atmospheric guitar over a drum machine and/or effects. The
"Music & Noise" tape has one side of poppy instrumentals, and
another side of, well, noise. Surprisingly, Lou shows a consistency
tackling all three genres; his guitar work is inventive, at times
sounding a bit like Greg Ginn on the "Music" portion. This is very
enjoyable stuff, which is some ways is frustrating because Mr. Gigger
is dead, which may mean that, aside from his work with the group
Braille Party, this is it. (2T/RJL)
GIRL TROUBLE, "Thrillsphere" (PopLLama Products, PO Box
95364, Seattle WA 98145-2364): A cranking combination of surf music
and rockabilly, at times with a Cramps feel to it (but without the
campy, cartoonish personality.) Kahuna's guitar work is fuzzy and
gives the album a very raw sound. With songs about dancing girls,
groove detectors and swamp voodoo queens, this is one smoking,
good-time album. (LP/DW)
GLORIES, "Treble hook" (310 W. 14th St., Apt. B, New York,
NY 10014): Straightforward grungy guitar pop without any fancy
effects. Two guitars make for a full distorted sound with good
interaction between rhythm and lead while a simple yet strong bass
and drum combo lays the foundation. The clear vocals make for an
effective contrast against the fuzzy backdrop. The three songs on
this cassette make me think of what might happen if you crossed
Dinosaur Jr. with the Connells. Worth getting. (T/ DW2)
GLUECK DOSE, "Prose in Cannes" ($4 or trade from Roger
Skulback, 1600 Grand Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55105): One of the finer
(and more listenable) collections of experimental music, drawn from
a wealth of international artists who contributed to Skulback's radio
show on WMCN, 91.7 FM, St. Paul. Incorporating elements of John
Zorn and Barry Adamson, one cut takes a film score stance, or
something like it, with hyperactive percussion building and crashing
through the final motion, to the command, "Hit it. Chewy!" Such
found samples, doomy grey sounds, complete disintegrations.
Euro-sci-fi noodling, electronic-meets-primitive fill the collection.
"Sound track for Pyrotechnics demo 2/23/91" features tapes swishing
by at high speeds and inspired, spontaneous percussion which
sounds like the rhythmic destruction of office furniture. Unfortunately
the cuts are not well documented, though there is an extensive list
of folks involved with the project. A must for "Festival of the
Swamps" fans and generally recommended to each and every one
of you. (T/KF) _
GO!, "Why Suffer?" ($3 from Forefront Records, 280 Fairmont
Ave., Chatham, NJ 07928):This is Mike Bullshit's band, pure New
York City hardcore music. On a single seven inch they blast through
a dozen songs, with the energy that has kept underground projects
like ABC No Rio going. (They even do "The ABC Song". Very crisp,
clean, no-nonsense music. (EP/MG)
GOD AND TEXAS, "Industry Standard" (Lovehammer Records,
PO Box 10073, Columbus, OH 43201): Dark melodies, metal with a
depressing note to it, rock sounds and clashing lyrics. The music is
slow and dangerous, boring its way into the psyche with sometimes
surprising effects. I enjoyed it. (LP/MG) _
LUCY GODARD, "Suck and Tell" ($5 from Nihilistic Rec do
Peter Zincken, Esdoorlaan 6a, 1521 EA Wormeveer, the Netherlands)
"Suck and Tell" is a 30 minute dentist drill of feedback, buzzing,
electronic winds, and an undertow of droning bass throbs, barely
varying through its existence. That lack of variation is a problem:
the tones themselves are fine, but 5 minutes of this material would
be too much; 30 sheer monotony. Really I'd prefer the sounds in
an empty AM band while driving across state. "Rape and Smell"
fills the other side with another overlong, though less torturous,
piece of crunchy tones with a bunsen burner effect. Decent noise
in a boring presentation. (T/PMZ)
THE GOOD NATURED COW W/BRIAN ROTGUT, self-titled
($3 from Thrashbag, 20 Sprague Ave, Apt 1, Cranston, RI 02910)
Medium beat box garage rock from these R.I. westerners, who are
Brian Rotgut with Slim Pickens (one cow) and Tex Gallon (moo
cow). Through muffled fidelity, these are western-ized songs of little
seriousness, with titles like "1/2 Blind Chicken" or "Dance of 1,000
Pigmies". The quality is fairly low, with a sloppy photocopy insert.
yet there's still something likeable in the results. The tape running
out during the last song is very poor though, and more time putting
this together is ne eded. (T/PMZ) _
GO VERTICAL, self-titled ($5 from Michael Stitzel, 1805 Arlene
Rd. NW, Rio Rancho, NM 87124): Somewhat bluesy Christian rock,
now gentle, now a bit harder-edge, with lyrics that leave no doubt
about where the band stands. "Walking Shoes" is a well-polished
number, clever harmonies, a serious message over sound musical
quality. (T/MG)[M Af 1213] _
GRAY MATTER, "Food For Thought/Take It Back" (Dischord,
3819 Beecher St. NW, Washington, DC 20007-1802): Too bad this
band broke up; their strong electric rock attack, combined with fast
thrashing play, was something special. The opening jolt of
"Retrospect" sets the listener up for a 19-track wild ride, with a
cover of "I Am The Walrus" fitting right in to their own crisp playing
style. "Take It Back" and "Walk The Line" stand out, though it's
hard to choose favorites here. (CD/MG)
GREATER THAN ONE, "Index" (Wax Trax, 1659 N. Damen
Ave., Chicago, IL 60647): Scary electro-industrial house dance music,
all fast beats, samples, and scary vocals. How anyone can dance to
this paranoia-inducing stuff I don't know; it does lead to a visceral
reaction, but I find it one of terror rather than one of movement.
Makes me want to curl up in a corner and twitch—which is not to
say that it was not enjoyable. (CD/MG)
GREEN, "White Soul & Bittersweet" (Widely Distributed Records,
6517 N. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60626): 18 tracks of pure pop, consisting
of a previous LP and EP combined. The band seems influenced by
everyone from the Beatles to Alice Cooper, and it is hard to pick
out any consistency or direction from this welter of ear candy. There
are high points, though, including the lovely "Monique, Monique"
and the harder-ting ed, mass harmony "I Know". (C D/MG)[MA#1214]
RUDOLPH GREY, "Implosion 73" (New Alliance Records, PO
Box 1389, Lawndale, CA 90260): Guitar improv work that builds into
tooth-grinding bursts of anguishing noise. Grey works with a jazz
drummer on one side of this clear disk and solo on the other, each
time producing a noise which, for at least a few moments, banishes
all other thoughts from the listener's consciousnes s. (45/MG)
THE GREY SPIKES, "Sex and Hate" ($5 Jeff Porterfield, Vital
Gesture, 21610 Reynolds Drive, Torrance, CA 90503): A briskly
energetic treatment of punk-inspired rock and roll. The crazy pace
never lets up. This band packs 18 songs into this release, with
enough variety to keep all the songs distinguishable from one
another. The moo d is loose but the musicianship is not. (T/CS)
GROOVE DIGGERS, "All Time" b/w "All The Way" (Limited
Potential Records, PO Box 268586, Chicago, IL 60626): Pretty solid
but unexceptional rock and roll. They bring a bit of a punk edge
to things, but most of this record sounds as if it could have been
made in the late fifties. Technically proficient but lacking in spark
and originality. (45/MG)
GULAG, "In the Showyard" (Pavlos at Wreck Age, 451 West
Broadway 2N, NY, NY 10012) Gulag is getting a lot of exposure
106
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
lately with a single, a cut on Weed's "16 Guys..." and this lp, and
it's worth giving a listen. Hard hitting rock with a hardcore/punk
flair that draws elements from early metal and psychedelic rock,
with a dark melodic orientation and a concise soloing style. The
songs stay to their points, sung in their native Northern Greek
language, which might make comprehension a problem if translations
weren't included in the lyric insert. A hard hitting and multi-influ¬
enced band; little wonder they've opened for Fugazi and The Ex.
(LP/PMZ) _
JOHN S. HALL & KRAMER, "Real Men" (Shimmy-Disc, JAF
Box 1187, New York, NY 10116): The ever-eclectic Kramer teams up
this time with John Hall of King Missile fame for some poetry with
musical backup. Kramer's use of music sources from Johann Strauss
to N.W.A. is rather adroit, but when coupled with Hall's rather
banal poetry, the overall effect can become monotonous. Hall's
personal thoughts on songs like "Shit" or "Francis Bacon" are not
that interesting. However, if you feel bored with your life and don't
have an outlet for those "special" feelings, this record is just the
thing for you. (LP/RJL)_
HAND OF GLORY, "Here Be Serpents" (Skyclad Records, PO
Box 666, Middlesex, NJ 08846): Western hard rock (the western
influence shows in some of the picking guitar work) with a
message—the message being carried in their strongest song, "World
Gone Mad". They take the hard-edged Austin sound, throttle it back
just a little bit from the likes of, say. Scratch Acid, and unleash it
on a decaying wo rld. Good stuff. (LP/MG) _
ERIC HAUSMANN, "Big Guitars" ($5 from Spilling Audio, 540
Madison Ave. #7, Albany, NY 12208): Don't let the title fool you
into thinking of arena rock dinosaurs—this stuff is eerier, more tribal,
more convoluted than that by far. Eric—with the occasional help of
Hank Jansen—wends his way through a dozen instrumentals here,
perplexing and tantalizing, ending up with the classy fade of "Aiming
At Darkness". (T/ MG)[MAf 1215] _
ERIC HAUSMANN, "Black Paint Chips" ($4/trade from Eric
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Hausmann, 540 Madison Ave #7, Albany, NY 12208) Remixed and
released, this Hausmann tape presents a duality of purpose. The
1st side presents gently ambient sound constructions using syn¬
thesizer swells, floating vocals, and distant influencing guitar figures.
The 2nd side deceives by starting similarly, but as the side goes
by, from the mutated sounds of "Dream for a Stupid Man" to it's
hectic wakeup, "Situation", Hausmann switches gears to playfully
strange voices, distortions, beats, noise and other oddness. If
inconsistent, it answers fears of new age over-influence in its uniquely
mixed presentation . (T/PMZ) _
HEADS UP!, "Duke" (Emergo, 25 Lafayette St. #709, New York,
NY 10012): Very very cool funky semi-metallic rock, produced by
Albert Bouchard (x-Blue Oyster Cult). They go in for long languid
notes, quick changes, eerie music, dance numbers...well, just about
anything you could want on a cool spring evening. Dig it.
(T/MG)[MA#1216] _
THE HE DARK AGE, "The Dog's Brekfast" ($15 from GPO Box
2854, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA 4001): Sparse, experimental pop/rock
that isn't too unlike much of what's been exported from the world's
smallest continent (barring INXS). Dark music that doesn't suck, but
never really hits t he heights, either. (LP/RJL)
GARY HEFFERN, "Bald Tires in the Rain" ($8 from Nocturnal
Records, 371 8th Ave B-3, San Diego, CA 92101) The journey from
punk to poet has left Heffem an introspective yet direct musician;
a man with observations and advice clearly spoken at a common
level. This work adapts his book of the same name, excellently
produced and packaged with an illustrated book of lyrics. Heffern's
vehicle for his words is a blend of western, blues, and jazz, assisted
musically by Terry Lee Hale and members of Walkabouts and Motels.
The music is appropriately simple, deferring to the lyrics and spoken
dialogue, and with an emotionally aloof yet passionate delivery,
makes a frequently effective work. (LP/PMZ)
HELLEN KELLER PLAID, "One Swell Foop" (Mad Rover Records,
PO Box 22243, Sacramento, CA 95822) Hard pop rock with distortion
motivations and grainy vocals is the sound of this foursome, drawing
influences from Husker Du, REM, and perhaps a bit from Aerosmith.
For the most part this is controlled upbeat rocking stuff, though a
couple of introspective pieces on the acoustic side are thrown in,
adding an almost western sound to their music. The image they
project is of fun loving young dudes with a sense of humor, which
with their accessibly solid sound, should fare well on the college
radio bands. (LP/P MZ) _
HEMI, "Save Yourself" b/w "Superconductor" ($3 from Shred of
Dignity, 666 Illinois, San Francisco, CA 94107) Power saturated rock
with an exaggerated vocal push demands that you "Save Yourself"
before trying to save the world. The sound is big and hard rocking
with strong bass lines, taking on character through pace changes
that layer and build. There's a bit of a flirtation with FM radio
progressions, which by message and overall approach, it steers clear
of. "Superconductor" is similar in power but more laid back. While
it's electric circuit analogies don't carry the same punch, the vocal
stretches are more pronounced, making a good heavy tune. Nice
sleeve cover collage, too. (45/PMZ)
HOLLOW HEYDAY, "Verge" (Tantrum Records, PO Box 657,
Cambridge, MA 02238) Boston's Hollow Heyday primes for their
upcoming lp, presenting two new tunes and rereleasing their first
single, which was recorded 6 days after the band formed. Wisely,
the new material is first: two edgy songs with nervously yearning
vocals and thick minor progressions of an eastern flavor. The music
steers from the linear, shifting pace and intent over excellent bass
work and transient drumming. In contrast, their first single is straight
forward with a pop edge and more regular rhythms, illustrating the
maturation of this band, and the intensity they've developed.
(T/PMZ)
THE HOLLOW MEN, "Cresta" (Arista Records, 6 W. 57th St.,
New York, NY 10019): Engaging Brit-pop rock with a fast-wavering
keyboard line that kept reminding me of things like "Shaft". They
have a somewhat kooky aspect about them, with lots of perky music
and a certain lack of depth. Finely tuned to capture the hearts of
the hip dance cro wd. (CD/MG) _ \ _
HOPE ORGAN, "Young Girl" b/w "Harmony" (Ingreat Records,
PO Box 293, Pittsburgh, PA 15230) Charles Manson was inspired by
the Beatles, and so it seems was his 'family.' The two member Hope
Organ covers, in their original style, two songs by family members
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
107
r
Brooks Poston and Paul Watkins. "Young Girl" is in a Beatles
"Prudence" style of clean harmonized voice over gentle acoustic
guitar figures with a haunting ambient tone behind and floating flute
lines interleaved. "Harmony" is a similarly lilting song in male voice
only. The prettiness of these pieces is only disturbed when
considering the actions of their writers. (45/PMZ)
PAUL HOWEY, "Plug In" ($4.00 from Paul Howey, PO BOX
428080, Chicago, IL 60642) Contemporary Christian rock and roll
played and sung by one man, Paul Howey. You'd never believe
that one person could master lead and backup vocals, synth-guitars,
double kick bass drum set, and keyboards in this thick pop recording.
Introsective lyrics and interesting vocal harmonies with a message.
(T/RS) _
THE HUNGER, "Tonight" b/w "Shoot to Kill" ( Alpha Inter¬
na tionalRecords, Inc., 1080 N. Deleware Ave., Philadelphia, PA
19125) Danceable pop/rock from this Houston based 3 piece band.
Side one is both a 7" and a 12" version of the song "Tonight," a
strictly keyboard based piece with programmed tones and beats.
"Shoot To Kill," also keyboard based, gives the band the sound of
such pop groups such as OMD or early '80's british group YAZ.
Well mixed and g ood vocals. (T/RS) _
ILE MAUZAR, "An Exercise in Audio Art" (Utjsen Recordings,
PO Box 134, Waynesville, MO 65583) Instrumental rock with a
hardcore edge over extremely fuzzy high-frequency guitar noise. The
recordings tend to the dull side, so that the energy of these jams
is muted, but a close listen finds a firm rendering of purposeful
direction, with guitar snippets occassionally rising above the din.
Unfortunately the pieces suffer from a sameness of intent, furthered
by the flat recordings, which while not wearying, too easily makes
this music a part of the background. (T/PMZ)
IMMACULATE HEARTS, "Everything Should Be The Way It
Should Be" b/w "Grace" (No Age Records, PO Box 54214,
Philadelphia, PA 19105): Big Rock and Roll that is sure to grace
many college radio playlists. "Everything..." has a catchy hook, but
you'd think that after doing time with the likes of the Gun Club
and especially the Bush Tetras, Dee Pop could've been a little more
inventive with his drumming. The flip returns to familiar Ramones-
like skronk. (45/RJL)_
INFERNOLAND, "Celebration of Wounds" ($2 from Douglas A.
Long, 22-70 41st St. #1-L, Astoria Queens, NY 11105): Improvisational
2-track recordings, weaving jungle beats with eerie ambience.
Douglas seems to be mostly just enchanted by the possibility of
making music, and some of this innocent pleasure comes through
on the tape. (T/MG)_
GREGORY ISAACS, "Come Again Dub" ($8 from ROIR, 611
Broadway, Suite 411, NY, NY 10012) With 'Dub' in every title, this
reconstruction of Isaacs' RAS Records "Call Me Collect" is a collection
of upbeat reggae rooted tunes. The songs are built of warm bass
lines, moving percussion and beats, syncopated keyboard fills, and
short poppy melodies, while Isaacs' nasal voice sings gently, often
twisted in time with delays and effects. The strength of this music
comes in part from the players, including Sly Dunbar, Robbie
Shakespeare, Clive Hunt, Steelie and Cleavie, and the Firehouse
Crew, but it is "Cool Ruler" Isaacs who leads this friendly dub on
it's happy way. (T /PMZ) _
ISISIS, "Am" ($3.50 from 1607C Palma Plaza, Austin, TX 78703):
A wild and aggressive musical collage that includes some chopped
up news words as well as complex noises, experimental electronics,
and general clanging about. It's a very sprawling and layered sound,
full of surprising noises and abrasive moments, then deepening back
into a still pond of contemplative strains. (T/MG)
ISM, "I Think I Love You" (PO Box 774, Oakland Gardens, NY
11364): "The Hits That Missed, 1982-1989" is the subtitle of this wild
and wooly collection of tongue in cheek rock . It's easy to see why
some, like "Bedpan Hunting" (an ode to strange sexuality) missed,
even if they're decent sounding rock. But others should have been
underground hits—"John Hinckley Jr." is a natural for the lefty set,
and their cover of "Constantinople" is even more maddeningly
mindless than the Residents original. (CD/MG)
JACK FROST , self-titled (Arista, 6 W. 57th St., New York, NY
10019): A new rock effort involving Steve Kilbey, formerly of the
Church, and Grant McLennan. Some nice melodies here, a few
harder stretches, mostly the self-assurance of a couple of musicians
who know they're good and want to explore a bit. Very fine and
professional stuff. (CD/MG) _
JANE AWAKE, demo tape ($4 from Shriek Records, 36625 Aldrich
Ave. S #101, Minneapolis, MN 55409): Six tracks of dreamy guitar
rock from a band that's only a couple of months ago. They've put
together some nice riffs in that time, sounding a bit like Dire Straits
in places. For the days when you don't really want to bang your
head. (T/MG)[MA# 1509] _
THE JESUS LIZARD, "Goat" (Touch & Go, PO Box 25520,
Chicago, IL 60625): Words that come to mind to describe The Jesus
Lizard are as short, sharp and strong as the music of the band.
Aggressive. Industrial. Raw. Cool. Heavy. Thick. Driven. Scratched.
Throbbing. Bullseye. Take them all together and apply to an ultra
metal dirge laden anything goes rock and roll melee. But what
makes it all work so well is that underneath it all there lurks the
heart of a band who knows what a hood is and how to use it.
(LP/CS) _
JUNK MONKIES, "Five Star Fling" (Metal Blade Records, 729
7th Ave., 14th Floor, New York, NY 10019) Four piece rock and
roll with two guitars, a bass, and a drummer, playing "speed-pop"?
from Detroit. Claimed best band in their hometown, they admit to
being a good garage and bar band. They have been playing together
since high school (a few years ago) and seem to know what sound
they are going after as a collective, and not just as individual
musicians. (T/RS)
KING-KILL/33 ,self-titled ($2 from Mitchell F., PO Box 55138,
Atlanta, GA 30308-0138): Aggressive moody music with a title swiped
from APOCALYPSE CULTURE and a decidedly apocalyptic sound.
This is a tape of a vast shadowy echo-filled live performance, with
lots of throbbing guitars and words directly from the subconscious
stratum where conspiracies hang out. Esoteric keys to unlocking
hidden doors. (T/MG)
KING KONG, "Bring It On" (Trash Flow Records, 411 First St.,
H\tH (AJITW nf\N
K.K’&BY Wo
108
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Hoboken, NJ 07030): Three songs of funky rock from this trio. "Birdy
Song" is the strangest, with a near spoken-word bridge section and
plenty of cool bass work. Nothing too spectacular, just a competent
band making dece nt music. (45/MG) _
KING MISSILE, "The Way to Salvation" (Atlantic Records, 75
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019): Who would have thought
it, the esoteric John Hall and company signed to a major label?
Well, here they are, still doing mystical religion and bits of screaming,
although they do seem to have toned things down a bit since the
last album. Most of this could fit right into latenight college radio
with barely a ripple, screeds to provoke thought and music to calm
it down again. (C D/MG) _
KING OF KINGS, self-titled (David Geffen Company, 9130 Sunset
Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90069): King of Kings is basically Desmond
Horn, or at least Desmond's vision. What it amounts to is hard
rock with overlays of piano, bells, Sanskrit, jazz, and whatever else
has infiltrated his confused NYC consciousness. When it clicks, as
on "Shame" or the extended "Dweller on the Seventh Floor", this
is great stuff, striking out in new directions but with enough familiar
sounds to be intriguing rather than abrasive. If they can whip a
tendency towards self-indulgence, or convince more bands to follow
them, this will be music to remember. (CD/MG)
KINGS OF OBLIVION, "Death Machine" (Dionysus Records, PO
Box 1975, Burbank, CA 91507): A three-song 45 on clear yellow
vinyl, this one has got a real good punk/rock sound to it. The
opening chords have a George Thorogood power punch to them,
going into rant and rave lyrics that slide into the flipside "You're
Gonna Pay For All Your Crimes". Take the garage, turn up the
amps, get a little blasted and something like this might come out.
(45/MG) _
KIRTANA, "Healing Rain" (Wild Dove Music, PO Box 221861,
Carmel, CA 93922): New Age folk music, gentle melodies played
on Kirtana's own classical guitar, fronted by her voice, and backed
with a mix of strings, pedal steel, mandolin, and more. A gentle
spiritualism flows through this release, encouraging harmony with
eleven shadows
4AD fans will die for this, eight songs to shut your eyes by
and let the imagery flow. ben is dead #11
exhibits amazing colors and mood shifts, blends Indone¬
sian, european.indian, american and eastern influences
into a rare conglomeration of fluidity and tension.
factsheet five #39
a very modern sound, yet mysterious and mystical!
hal mcgee, electronic cottage
ken lee is the composer and performer of these songs,
and he is obviously multi-talented. option, jan/feb '91
eleven shadows cassette available at: rhino records
p.o. box 17283 westwood,ca
encino.ca 91416
$6.00 ppd aron's records
hollywood.ca
both the earth and other people. "Beautiful" is not too strong a
word for most of this music, backed by the strength of conviction.
(CD/MG)[MA#1218]_
LA FUNCION DE REPULSA, "Estro" ($7 from Juan Antonio
Rotunno Espino, 10 y 11 Anaya y O. Rmz. #736, Cd. Victoria,
Tamaulipas, cp 87050, MEXICO): Industrial im pro visa tional punk
from Mexico. The band generates some incredible noisescapes, long
jams, tortured sounds, bits of pop slowly getting lost in the haze.
Good stuff. (T/MG)_
LAND, "Tarnished Gold" (Shadow Canada, 6 Admiral Rd.,
Toronto, Ontario M5R 2L4): A classy and fairly interesting collection
of tranquil music without words by an ensemble of musicians
associated with the Shadow label. Ranging from ambient to filmic
to (the dreaded) Windham Hill land, rich electronic and acoustic
keyboard sounds are embellished with an array of other instruments
by very competent musicians. The whole of Side Two is quite fine:
"Victoria Day" is a moody, dramatic work with a repeating circular
note progression which draws the listener inward and works well
when played at higher volumes. It trails off into "Jewel", a piece
featuring breathy, electronically-enhanced flute. The heady feel of
the final cuts is in keeping with these. At worst, it is clichd in a
public television theme music kinda way, as in the title cut. Still, I
recommend this to similarly wimpy people who seek music for
relaxation that does not totally put you to sleep, or completely
drown you in the boring stuff of new ageisms. Very good sound
quality and an att ractive sleeve. (T/KF) _
PAUL LEARY, "The History of Dogs" (Rough Trade, 611
Broadway, Suite 311, NY, NY 10012) "Features only one member
of the Butthole Surfers" hits it straight on: Surfers' guitarist Leary
writes, arranges, performs and produces, using midi-/ guitar to create
the music. What he writes is a mix of decent rock with Surfers
-tendencies and good guitar licks, occassional acoustic overtones, FM
rock (with some overplayed grooves), and even a slick anthem that
could open a sports program. The words, sung in dual falsetto or
treated for weirdness, are concerned with topical issues like the
environment, Iraq, overpopulation and city tensions. Not fully
focused, but a soli d release. (LP/PMZ) _
LEAVING TRAINS, "Sleeping Underwater Survivors" (SST
Records, PO Box 1, Lawndale, CA 90260): The Leaving Trains' latest
on SST at times made me wonder if this was the same band that
put out "Kill Tunes" and "Fuck." It seems as though the Trains
have toned it down a bit, but just when you think they cashed in
for a mellower, less raucous, and what some might call a "more
musically mature sound," Falling James and company burst into
waves or energetic punk rock reminiscent of their earlier years that
would make radio listeners squirm. The nine songs on this LP slip
from the biting, melodic guitars and bass on "I Love You," to eerie
keyboards, bells and distorted vocals on "What Was Left Was Red,"
along with plenty of musical creativity in between. A good release
from a great band that will have you spinning this vinyl for weeks.
(LP/DW2)_
VINCENT LEE, "Socks-n-Rugs-n-Rock-n-Roll" ($5 from William
Barnes, Aural Adventures Productions, 5829 Bayview Ave., Rich¬
mond, CA 94804): This is a weird pop roller-coaster. "Do It With
The Dead", an outright endorsement of necrophilia that would be
certain to cause an outrage over almost any radio station. He also
rags on himself a bit with "Pop Star" and has fun just jamming
along on his guitar. Warped musics for warped minds.
(T/MG)[MA#1512] _
LOBELIA HAYBALERS, "Wish I Had Two of Them" (Bill Bostic,
1713-H E. Cornwallis Rd., Durham, NC 27713): Weird bluegrass rock
with the vocalist occasionally seeming to imitate Chubby Checker.
Lots of "cheezy" humor here, with songs like "If You Don't Love
Elvis". Some good old instrumental hoedowns here too. It's not
lasting musical val ue, but it is fun for an afternoo n. (T/MG)
LOST KARMA, self-titled ($5 from Erik, 1481 Lake Park Cir.,
Eagan, MI 55122): Solid hardcore/metal music with strong vocals
from Tony Cuddigan, backed ably by a couple of guitars and a
driving rhythm section. The strongest cut here is "False-Prophet",
an indictment of those who would lead society without being
qualified to do so. (T/MG) _
THE LOVE COWBOYS, "Bigpaw" (Inside Artists, 620 Delhi Ave.,
Cincinnati, OH 45204): Right cool funky rock and roll. Saltine's guitar
playing is excellent, all intricate lines and twisty twangs. TLC's
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
109
singing and harmonies from the rest of the band fit right in. Lots
of choppy, head-n odding energy here. (T/MG)[MA #1220]
PINKIE MACLURE, FIONA SAIL, & CHEMICAL PLANT,
"The Coldstore Tapes" (Chainsaw Cassettes, 11 Layton Rd., Islington,
London, N1 OPX, ENGLAND): Maclure has a haunting vocal style.
Sail plays the sax and Chemical Plant is into industrial percussion.
Their resulting collaboration—taped in a vacant cold storage
warehouse—is by turns ethereal, industrial, ambient and aggressively
experimental. Bursts of sheer noise madness alternate with qUieter
introspective moments, in a combination that builds well on the
strengths of all concerned. (T/MG)
L.G. MAIR, JR., "The Inner Chamber" (Audiofile Tapes, Carl
Howard, 209-25 18 Ave., Baydise, NY 11360): Synthetic tracks that
take elements of space rock, modem dance and jerkly jazz, weaving
them all together into fast-paced melodic imbroglios. Starting with
"The Cult of Isis" and winding up with "Isis: Goddess of Goddesses",
this is an extended cycle of songs in a fashion the Ancients never
dreamed of. (T/MG)_
MALOK, "Green Omega" (Box 41, Waukau, WI 45980) A deep
layering of drifting and dripping electronic maelstroms sets the stage,
an extremely busy, though not overloaded, collage of treated tuneless
simple synths, hisses, muted voices, movie soundtracks and more.
Barely above, Malok speaks his mind, a wandering rant in a Joe
Friday voice, now subservient to the noise, now standing apart. I
found it hard to concentrate on this tape, in part to the random
nature of the results, though often due to the blanketing dull fidelity.
Still, the dark narrative tone of the work and placement of emphasis
within the work leaves a unique impression. (T/PMZ)
DON MALONE, "Soft Music" (the usual. Box 32, Sharon, WI
S3585) Surreal soundscapes of slowly unfolding synthetics. Malone's
20 years of sound experimentation is represented in live improvisa¬
tion, where his concept of 'Soft' encompasses synthetic bells, bleets,
blats, ringing tones, and electronic switches, arhythmically hung
upon the air to meander in a distractedly playful manner. Reminsicint
of the soundtracks from 60's pyschological science fiction movies,
this is a unique presentation of tones that can add a sense of
displacement to y our day. (T/PMZ) _
MICHELLE MALONE AND DRAG THE RIVER, "Building Fires
Over Atlanta" (Arista Alternative, 6 W. 57th St., New York, NY
10019): A fired-up live recording of four tracks from Michelle's
"Relentless" album plus a cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman".
She plays a mean lick of guitar, and her voice is an instrument in
itself, alternately crooning to and stoking up the audience. "Into
The Night" is a v ery strong song, memorable and fresh. (CD/MG)
MARCEL MONROE, "Framed" (Certain Recorrds, 234 5th Ave
#301, New York, NY 10001): Sometimes gentle, sometimes soaring,
sometimes experimental, sometimes the music you've heard all your
life, this three-piece produces fine guitar pop. The album is a worthy
follow-on to last year's "Love is Not" EP, drawing on the strengths
of Kimerbley Jean's voice and bass. Bob Winbiel's guitar and Dave
Seay's drumming. Tunes with plenty of depth that stand up to
repeated playing, which is what they should get most places that
this disc penetrate s to. (CD/MG)[MA#1221] _
MAUVE SIDESHOW, "Dark Flowers" ($6 from Refraction Sound,
165 Boston #4, Seattle, WA 98109): Brooding, low-key drones that
aren^t_cmnky^enough to be legit noise, but not so blissfully empty
ARTWARE AUDIO
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as to be classified as New Age, which makes this release rather
tasty indeed. Slow moving electronics and lovely whispered vocals
from a woman named Treva make this the ideal soundtrack to
mellow afternoons or a nice hit of your favorite hallucinogen. Take
your pick. (LP/RJL)_
THUMBS McFIZZ, "The Very Idea" (£3/$6 CASH from Mark
Fisher, do Hodge, 14 High St., Edinburgh, EH1 1TE, UK): Pleasant
poppy music with curiously British lyrics: "Tories on the Breadline"
is perhaps the most inscrutable of the bunch. A clean four-track
recording, this is lighthearted and easy to like throughout, and
polished enough to come back to. Another good reason to keep
listening to tapes. (T/MG)
MELVINS, "Bullhead" (Boner Records, PO Box 2081, Berkeley,
CA 94702): Turgid, ponderous metallic riffs, sort of like Ozzy on
'Ludes. They're at their best in extended dirge epics like "Boris",
grinding out tortured vocals over throbbing guitars, jackhammering
away at your mind. Very good for turning up loud and scaring the
neighbors into the next county. (LP/MG) _
METAL FLAKE MOTHER, self-titled (Moist Records, PO Box
3597, Chapel Hill, NC 27515): Moist deserves some prize for the
best promo line: "Imagine if the Pixies could play their instruments—
maybe that's the sound". Cool slightly scary (and not very metallic)
new rock, a bit too tense for the college radio crowd, except for
perhaps at 4AM when all the sane people are long in bed. 4 songs,
very polished, harmonies of paranoia. On murky grape-colored vinyl.
(EP/MG)
DOUG MICHAEL & THE OUTER DARKNESS, "Opening
Remarks" (aT, Carl Howard, 209-25 18 Ave., bayside, NY 11360):
Doug works in guitar and keyboards, with drum machine, the
occasional bit of voice, and a backup sax player. His material draws
on music from all over, at times jazzy, at times almost,/ flamenco
on straight piano, at times easy adult listening. The changes are
subtle and never surprising, though on reflection the entire breadth
is. The music won't shake you up, but it may calm vou down.
(T/MG) _
THE MIGHTY CHARGE, "Ready For Anything" (Mighty Music,
PO Box 8467, Salem, MA 01970): Socially responsible multicultural
reggae music from Boston. They've had fun on the local college
circuit and now they're out on vinyl, putting together heavy rhythms
and supercharged words in the service of waking people up.
"Television Man" and "Revolution?" are the hard hitters here, smooth
music with a mes sage. (EP/MG) _
MIGHTY FORCE, "Dive" (Combat/Earache, 187-07 Henderson
Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): Well, it was a bit of a surprise to find this
on a metal combo label—because it's darned good industrial house
music, somewhat in the Wax Trax vein. Adam West and Simeon
Davies put together a lot of clanging and sampling and rhythm, for
a danceable, dark, ornery, prickly mix. Coolness. (T/MG)
ROGER MILLER, "Xylyl and A Woman In Half" (New Alliance
Records, PO Box 1389, Lawndale, CA 90260): A couple of pretty
serious compositions from Miller, exploring some of the sonic limits
of music. "Xylyl" is heavily into sampling and percussion, reminiscent
of but not as stark as his No Man work. "A Woman In Half" is a
film soundtrack, mellower and done mainly on modified piano and
keyboards. Weirdly outrageous noises in a careful classical setting.
(LP/MG) _
CUT OUTS
TAPES $2.5G TO $5 COMPACT DISCS $6 TO $10
send self addressed stamped anelope far list
CLEEFO -COMPACT DISCS -TAPES -MUSIC VIDEO
BOX 652 ELLINGTON CT 06029
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Frank Zappa Innocence Mission Kings X
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DIVERSE SELECTION - MANY OUT OF PRINT
110
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
MINOY, "Pressures of the Sane" ($5 from Nihilistic Records, do
Peter Zinken Esdoorlaan 6a, 1521EA Wormeveer, NETHERLANDS):
More well-produced grunginess (if you can imagine that) from this
enigmatic figure/group. Not as dense as "Plain-wrap Purgatory," but
still very amiable to these ears. As usual, two side-long workouts
of metallic scrapings drenched in reverb, this time with lighter,
almost humorous sections thrown in. Extremely clean soundscapes
that you can relax in. (T/RJL)
MINOY, "Tension, Fear and Depravity" ($8 from Minoy
Cassetteworks, 923 W. 232 St, Torrance, CA 90502) A long, slowly
transitioning electronic work using generated tones slowly modified
for amplitude and frequency, with a thin undercurrent of effected
unintelligible voices and other noises. Chattering and droning with
feedback overtones, the feeling is like being in an electronic helicopter
in bad need of a lube job. As for the title: I can't hear any 'Depravity/
but 'Tension' may describe the headache overexposure to this tape
may cause, and 'Fear' may describe the listener's concerns that this
program will never end. (T/PMZ)
MINOY, "Time is Dying" ($8 from Minoy Casetteworks, 923 W.
232nd St., Torrance, CA 90502): Moore eerie noises from the prolific
studios of Minoy. This chrome tape contains a mix of everything
from smooth and silky strings to terrible rhythmic static. There are
large gaps between some of the cuts, but that helps the listener get
reoriented for the next barrage of electronic merriment.
(T/MG)[MA# 1222] _
THE MOCK TURTLES, "Turtle Soup" (Relativity, 187-07 Hen¬
derson Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): Pure English pop music, lots of
cheery guitars and the occasional bit of psychedelia. There's nothing
in here to incite you to ax murder or angst, just simple tunes, good
singing, unpredictable melodies and strong harmonies. (T/MG)
MONDO CANE, "The Crunch Song" b/w "Captain America" (Go
Ahead Records, PO Box 424, Haslett, MI 48840): Thick grungy rock
that's not out to win any awards for easy listening. The flip side,
with the refrain "Captain America gone wrong" is the better of the
two, a song of American heroes sunk into the morass of the drug
war. (45/MG) _
MONET'S GARDENS, "Pray" (Imagine! Records, 4432 Telegraph
Ave. #83, Oakland, CA 94609): Solid modern rock with rootsy tinges
that gets fired up and blasts through everything in its path. Very
upbeat stuff, poised for radio play, and with bits of violin and sax
and flute and harmonica thrown in. Adult rock, enjoyable and fun.
(T/MG)[MA# 1223] _
MONTHLY MUSIC REPORT Vol. I #3 ($5.50 from All Genre,
738 Main St. #387, Waltham, MA 02254-9038): This is a neat idea:
a zine combined with a tape, and devoted to giving music to the
masses straight from the artists. The hot pick in #3 is the unabashed
bubblegum pop from Richie Wood, but everything here is good:
Earring George Mayweather's blues, the straightforward rock ot The
Tats and the harder style of Brainthrust all stand out above
the pack. The written part also has feature articles on
distribution, lists of new releases, and other things aimed
at the indie label or artist. (S-30t & T/MG) _
FRANK MOORE, "Down Home" (PO Box 11445,
Berkeley, CA 94701- 2445): Frank Moore moans, shuffles,
mutters, and farts over original recordings of three solid
gold favorites. Why? I don't know. Nice sleeve art by M.
Labash. (T/KS) _
FRANK MOORE, "Rock of Passion" (PO Box 11445,
Berkeley, CA 94701-2445): Frank Moore moans, shuffles,
mutters, and farts over original recordings of thirteen solid
gold favorites. Why? I don't know. Nice sleeve art by M.
Labash. (T/KS) __
FRANK MOORE, "Body Music" (PO Box 11445, Berkeley,
CA 94701- 2445): Frank Moore moans, shuffles, mutters, and
farts. Why? I don't know. Nice sleeve art by M. Labash.
(T/KS) _
FRANK MOORE'S CHERO COMPANY, "Inter Rhythms"
(PO Box 11445, Berkeley, CA 94701-2445) Body sounds and
voice noises over the continuous sound of body slaps makes
up the entirety of this tape. This is the stupid stuff you did
in junior high with dad's tape deck, only these guys have
practiced, and found some pretty funny (and pretty weird)
sounds you no doubt missed. At 90 minutes, this is far, far
too long to take at a single listening, but in small doses it
has a peculiar appeal, and drew some of the funniest reactions of
any tape I've play ed at work. (T/PMZ) _
MORDRED, "In This Life" (Noise International, 5 Crosby St.,
New York, NY 10013): Solid rock that refuses to fall into any easy
categories. The primary ingredient in the Mordred mix is^a thrash
metal base, but over the years this has been slowed and toned
down a bit, and a lot of funky hip-hop influences blended in. The
result is the first of what may be the metal of the 90's, a synthesis
between two of the. more omnipresent frontier musical forms of
today. (CD/MG) _
MORGOTH, "The Eternal Fall- Resurrection Absurd" (Century
Media, Balkenstr. 17-19, Bortmund, Germany) Death Metal to the
fullest of extremes (on the commercial market anyway). From
Germany, these guys have made a quick name for themselves in
the United States because of their absolutely unequaled ability at
making metal so thick and loud. Absolutely no singer has more
mucus in his throat than Mark Grewe. (T/RS)
MORRISSEY, "Kill Uncle" (Sire RecordsCo., 75 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, NY 10019-6908) Here it is- the long awaited second solo
release since Morrisey's Smiths days. He's still and always will be
Morrissey when it comes to his image and his sound- not that I
expect more. Surprisingly though, at times he manages to sound
vaguely like the british group Fairground Attraction, especially in
his slower songs such as "Asian Rut" with its bluesy, jazz feel.
What can I say? -I f you're curious, you should he ar it. (T/RS)
MOTUS VITA EST, self-titled (Sacro Egoismo Records do
Tiberiju, Schelleing 39/24 1040 Wien, AUSTRIA): Raging thrash with
strong metal tendencies. Motus' brand of double guitar assault (often
resembling the likes of Slayer) will throw you across the room and
leave you quivering on the floor in a puddle of drool. Their powerful,
tight musicianship makes for some intricate intros, rhythms and
transitions, making this one of the few thrash records I can listen
to many times over without having my brain go numb. Some cool
slower stuff, too. (LP/DW2) _
NEO PSEUDO, "Ritual Laughter" (Kevin Slick, PO Box 11076
Calder Square, State College, PA 16805) Upbeat acoustic and electric
instrumentation blends with fine songwriting to make a flowing set
of songs. The tunes are based around relaxed percussion rhythms
using things like tibetan soup bowls or sock-covered-shaker-devices,
with folk-funky guitar lines, keyboards, clarinets (wimpy and
un-wimpy) and reeds, and occassional layers of tapes, sounds, or
'demonstrative shouting.' All these elements work to serve the song,
from energetic to sensitive, with a kind of Harry Chapin sonority
in the vocals. Catchy tunes that work wonderfully; a pleasure.
(T/PMZ)[M A# 1224]_
NEO PSEUDO, "World of Symbols" ($8 from Kevin Slick, PO
Box 11076 Calder Sq., State College, PA 16805): A bit darker than
Neo Psuedo's other album above, but still richly melodic. "Marty
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
111
Marian" is cute and clever, "Riot In Heaven" close to scary. Lots
of little musical touches, plenty of pop sensitivity, but a sort of blue
sound overall. (T/ MG)[M A# 1225] _
NEW GODS, "Saint Vitus Tango" ($5 from Spider Records, PO
Box 703, Toms River, NJ 08754): Somewhat arty rock, tightly
produced, and livened up by "The Homs of the Apocalypse",
featuring a couple of saxes, trumpet and trombone. They also add
piano, harmonica and flute to their sound, coming up with something
distinctive in a sound. "Iggy's Room" and "Stargazer" are among
their attractively c omplex numbers. (T/MG) _
NIKKI MEETS THE HIBACHI, "The Bluest Sky" (Moist Records,
PO Box 3597, Chapel Hill NC 27515): Nikki is a Chapel Hill acoustic
folk-rock duo that has caught the ears of a whole slew of college
radio types, and this is their third release. John Gillespie's and Elaine
Tola's sweet dual guitar melodies and "welcome into my world"
song writing perspective are reminiscent of Miracle Legion. They
color their compositions of heartbreak and reassurance with a guest
pianist, cellist, percussionist and banjo player. Fans of acoustic music
shouldn't pass this up. (LP/DW) _
No Artists, "A Tribute to Billy Joel" ($6.66 from Skyclad Records,
PO Box 666, Middlesex, NJ 08846): A very conceptual record. This
one is pressed on clear vinyl, with blank labels, and ten tracks—all
silent. I guess they don't dunk much of Billy Joel. The cover lists
artists who are not on the record, and the back cover is rather
grody. (LP/MG) _
NOCTURNUS, "The Key" (Combat/Earache, 187-07 Henderson
Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): Incredibly intense metal with some
surprising riffs—at one point I would swear I heard Arabian strains
coming out between the guitar blasts. Some death metal here, some
wild science fiction, and plenty of pure musical energy, driven along
at a thrashing pace by the combined power assault of the five young
men in the band. Technically awesome. (CD/ MG)
NOMUZIC, "News You Can Choose" (audiofile Tapes, 209-25 18
Ave, Bayside, NY 11360) Nomuzic is in fact music, in the gothic
vocal dance vein of early Depeche Mode. But where D. Mode sought
a smoother blend of synthetics and voice, Nomuzic chooses a blunt
and direct statement, even mixing guitar distortions amidst synth
sounds, beats, and soul searching, critical lyrics. It's the bluntness,
though, that frequently detracts from these songs, in vocal
awkwardness and overlong grooves in a bass heavy and blatant
mix. There's a lot of potential in these songs, with instrumental
work often quite involved and affecting, that a maturation of sound
and approach coul d bring forth. (T/PMZ) _
NOVA MOB, "The Last Days of Pompeii" (Rough Trade, 611
Broadway, Suite 311, New York, NY 10012): Grant Hart steps ever
more firmly away from the shadow of Husker Du to establish
himself. Earlier work found him exlporing pop but not developing
an approach for it. Here it's clear that the approach has been realized.
Hart's nasal, scratchy vocals add a depth and darkness to otherwise
sunny pop/rock melodies. At times he dips into a heavier mode
(check out "Space Jazz") but for the most part he stays within that
middle range. It's to his credit, though, that he plays with the range,
running from end to end, rather than letting himself drift in the
middle. (LP/CS) __
NUVO WEST, "Ranchero" (West Records, 3034 E. Flower St.,
Phoenix, AZ 85016): Some seminal cowpunk, along with less
fearsome instrumentals branded with the flavor of the west (though
in one case, "Planet Earth Surf", the west is clear out to the Pacific
Ocean). Lotsa twangy guitars here, along with such cheerful lyrics
as "Reality s a Hard Pill to Swallow". Danceable mania.
(T/MG)[MA# 1226] _
NUX VOMICA, "Augur" (Auricular Records, 575 Haight, San
Francisco, CA 94117): It's spelled "augur", as in "omen" or "prophet",
but it could just as well be "auger", as in "auger bit", because, this
stuff could have been recorded live at some nightmare assembly
line job where severed heads come rolling down the conveyor belt
instead of Nintendo circuit boards. Howling, whining, clanging,
rhythmic noise, stolen from techno-horror reality and rearranged into
a persuasive expression of outrage. A killer soundtrack for Ken
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Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Kese/s Cuckoo's Nest dreamscapes of The Combine. I imagine this
being played on mall muzak systems and I am at peace. (T/KS)
OFFICIAL BUSINESS, "6 Months of +/- 37 Public CAMUs"
(Widemouth Tapes, PO Box 382 CR, Baltimore, MD 21203): "CAMU"
stands for "Cue Activated Modular Units", discrete bits of sound
experimentalism from which these improvisational songs are built
up. At times they sound jazzy, at other times industrial, but mainly
beyond categories. Comes with a text explaining what they're up
to, sort of. (T/MG)_
THE ORIGINAL SINS, "Today I Am A Man" ($3 from Easy
Records, 5012 Cedar Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143-1653): A live
LP-length performance that features what is allegedly Bethlehem
Pennsylvania's hottest band. They move easily through their set,
generating a lot of rhythm and excess energy, coming down punk
at times but with a more polished sound than most hardcore outfits
produce. Definitely a fine time for the audience. ( T/MG)
PAIN CLINIC, "My Dog's Name Is Spot" ($3 from Alex V.
Cook, 1017 High St., Houma, LA 70360): If the dog is anything like
the rest of this tape, its name was stolen from somewhere else.
This is a collection of found and stolen audio, some of it looped,
some straight—everything from Jimi Hendrix to newscastsStravinsky
to electronic junkn oise. Ambient cultural remixes. (T/MG)
PARASITES, "Last Caress" b/w "Fool For You" (Shredder
Records, 181 Shipley St., San Francisco, CA 94107) From the swamps
of Jersey comes this blast of three-chord monte that draws equally
from the Buzzcocks and the Misfits—who they pay tribute to with
their "Last Caress" cover (as did Metallica before them). Nikki
Parasite sings and plays all the instruments on the demo version of
"Fool For You," while the Misfits cover was recorded by the band
on Halloween, 1990. Green skulls dominate the sleeve, and the
orange vinyl celeb rates the autumnal feeling of th is gem.(45/TG)~
PASSIFLORA, "Qualcosa Dovrebbe Cambiare" ($14 from
Massimiliano Gatti, Via Mozart 13, 20092 Cinisello (MI), Italy) This
Italian group mixes a 70's progressive sense with modern guitar and
Lonely Trailer
"Party Matches & Siren Sounds"
«/
22 song cassette $6 pp P.O. Box 871
6 song EP $5 pp Urbana, IL. 61801
bass interplay, adding in avante and melodic sax lines, and guiding
them with capable female vocals. With Italian lyrics, the subject of
these songs, excepting "Pinnochio," passes me by. However, a
smooth sense that crosses the brooding with the upbeat, the
experimental with the straightforward, the hypnotic with the agitated,
pervades and makes an invigorating music where the instrumental
is as or more important than the vocals or the strict song structure.
(LP/PMZ) __
DON PAUL AND THE SUSPECT MANY, "We Could Use the
Rain" (PO Box 33-0178, San Francisco, CA 94133): The first thing
that stands out here is the amount of fun Don seems to be having
singing bluesy rock. The second is all the little musical touches—sax
here, congas there, the fretless bass. The music rollicks on by, with
tracks about revolution and and love and hope and all those other
values that never r eally died. Heartfelt hopping goo d stuff. (CD/MG)
PENDULUM, "Atrocity Sin" ($5 from Euthanasia Music, PO Box
33401, San Antonio, TX 78265): Dark and angry :hyper-core"
tunes—sort of hardcore, but speeded up a bit, without adding any
metallic sound. Starvation, AIDS, the end of the world are all grist
for their mill, which grinds along at a good clip here. Powerful
skull-collapsing mu sic. (T/MG) _
AL PERRY AND THE CATTLE, "Good 'N' Bitter" ($4 from ERL
Records, 418 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12210): The latest production
from our local hip record store and indie label, this one features
the relatively well-known country-thrash twanging of A1 Perry and
his crew. "Gerbils", an instrumental track, really gets the blood
moving, while "Good Life" will do a lot to put it back down where
it belongs. Sardoni c partying music. (45/MG) _
PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES, "The Shit Factory" (Triple
X Records, 6715 Hollywood Blvd. #284, Hollywood, CA 90028): A
concept album—English punks cover nauseatingly sappy pop music.
It works, as their version of "Toy Boy" or "Hand on Your Heart"
or "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" demonstrates. Gashing yowling
demolition of mod em musical icons. (T/MG) _
PEZZ, "Kite-Eating Tree" (PO Box 42185, Memphis, TN 38104):
Somewhat sloppy punk rock with great lyrics. There's a song about
why hamsters are better than gerbils, and one that calls 2 Live Crew
"sexist dorks" while defending their right to free speech. The band
seems to be having a lot of fun with this stuff, and it's definitely
a pulsepounder. ( T/MG) _
PIGMY LOVE CIRCUS, "Beat on the Brat" b/w "Mick Killed
Brian" ($2.98 from Triple X Records, 6715 Hollywood Blvd Suite 284,
Hollywood, CA 90028) Ugly hardcore flavored metal, and I'll let the
press sheet handle the rest of the description: "Beer-bellied, ugly
and mean..." I can't see the bellies, but the the ugly and mean part
come out loud and clear on the guttural cover of the Ramones "Beat
on the Brat." The b side is about a pool excursion with Mick Jagger
and Brian Jones, loudly suggesting that "Mick Killed Brian." Quite
obnoxious. (45/PMZ)
PITBULL, "Don't Push Me" b/w "I'm a Regular Guy" (Tantrum
Records, PO Box 657, Cambridge, MA 02238) An odd narrative vocal
leads the punkish Pitbull, and had me pulling out Slovenly records
to see if their vocalist had switched bands. Well he hasn't, but like
Slovenly's Anderson, 'comic artisti Alan Reynolds' clear lyrics leave
me scratching my head: they don't always flow, using unlikely
comparisons, yet it's hard to criticize such abruptly unique
constructions. The trio of guitar, bass and drums below is heavy in
a medium paced hardcore vein with a mildly twisted solo style. The
complete sound is angular with room for refinement, but is strangely
satisfying. (45/PMZ)_
P.M.S., "Bloody Marys/Blood Sisters" ($4 from Inge Bruggeman,
PO Box 13726, Santa Barbara, CA 93107): Fern-punk, or something
like that—six women putting out a lot of noise and a heavy attitude.
They've got a selection of heavy originals with lots of humor as
well as bastardized covers—"Big Scrotum" (from Spinal Tap's "Big
Bottoms") deserves some sort of award—and sing about feminine
hygeine and bodily functions in a way you've never heard before.
(T/MG) _
HARRY POLKINHORN, "Phonon" ($4 from Jake Berry, 9th St.
Laboratories, PO Box 3112, Florence, AL 35630): As the title might
suggest, an exploration of phonetic utterances. The piece "Man" for
instance, plays around with variations like: "mon", "ataman",
"mennisco", "mensch". Each phonetic piece is separated by a non-
phonetic piece—a fabric of synthetic sounds—entitled "Zero-grade
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
113
n". A vague statement of purpose is printed on the sleeve having
something to do with a rejection of traditional philosophical thought,
but even without a context the dense atmosphere of voice and
electronic texture makes this an interesting work, and the sound
quality is excellent . (T/KS) _
POLVO, self-titled (Kitchen Puff Records, 696 N. Columbia St.,
Chapel Hill, NC 27514): A dual EP, one clear yellow vinyl, one
milky green. The music on both is instrumentals (well, there are
vocals, but they pale by comparison) that almost fall in the acid
rock category, high-energy guitar playing that crunches through the
static of the day. Quite infective, heady stuff, in a nice package.
(2EP/MG) _
THE POOPS, "Weird Scenes Inside Your Underpants" and
ASTHENIA, "Cool" ($3 from Dave Schall, PO Box 2143, Stow, OH
44224): A split tape, one band on each side. The Poops play cheesy
rock, with an emphasis on junior high level sexual humor: "Your
Shoe is in a Baby's Butt" is a typical title. The other side. Asthenia,
is more ambient, noise and samples with some maddeningly
repetitive guitar lines over the top. (T/MG)
POOPSHOVEL, "Outta My Hair" b/w "Dragon Attack" (Com¬
munity 3, 438 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211) A hard rocking
single from this Midwestern metal crossover power rock band. "Outta
My Hair" opens bass heavy, breaking into hard distortion of
repeating riffs over a straight ahead beat, in grainy voice bitching
about a stupidly critical father who's always getting down. The guitar
solo picks up with metallic swoop and chatter over thickly churning
chord work as the tune ends with a distanced car crash. "Dragon
Attack" is more in an Aerosmith vein, and definitely shows this
band's metal roots. (45/PMZ)
THE PRAYER CHAIN, self-titled ($6 from Tim Taber, 1421
Brighton St., La Habra, CA 90631): Well-produced alternative guitar
rock with a lot of emotional vocal punch to it. Some but not alV of
their songs are in the Christian rock arena, but love rather than
religion seems to be the prevailing driving force here. A strong
demo. (T/MG)
PRIMUS, "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" (Interscope Records, 10900
Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1230, Los Angeles, CA 90024): Primus takes
that crazy goofball off the wall attack on music that made bands
like The Dickies and The Ramones such favorites ad injects it into
a harder, heavier, hungrier style of music. Their style is a souped
up metal rock sound all funked up and ready to roll. It's big and
sweeping and bold and confident. "Sailing..." marks their debut on
Interscope Records, but their move up from the smaller indie world
finds them still as feisty as if they never left it. (T/CS)
PROJECTIONIST, "The Late Ed of Edgemont" (11272 Santa
Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025): This one comes in a
slightly melted colored case, about as jarring as the music within.
A mix of abrasive noises, tape loops, found sounds and industrial
clanging. Projectionist can get you into a meditative state if you're
not careful. And you should be careful, because the imagery that
follows will inevitably be disturbing. A limit-stretcher for those not
well acquainted with the noise end of things. (T/MG)
RADIO SADDAM, self-titled ($8 ppd from Minoy Cassette
Works, 923 West 232 Street, Torrance, CA 90502): Chaotic, a metal
noise crossed with static fuzz and echoing "gong" effects...Not unlike
a vacuum cleaner running amuck through a windtunnel being chased
by chimes. Side one never changed (thought the fadeout at the end
was cool). Side two's effect was more like a helicopter and less like
a vacuum cleaner. Just when you were lulled into thinking it was
more of the same this fogjorn blast lifts you out of a fog and
deposits you into a musical traffic jam. But not for long—it all sets
right back into the groove. (T/CS)
JENNY RAE, "Moments Often Do" ($4 from Buzz Lovko, 7408
Bentley Dr., Indianapolis, IN 45214): Very mellow folk music, at
times bordering on soft rock—the kind of music that you relax to
on a breezy summer day, as you sit on your shady porch and
watch life go by. Jenny Rae has a strong, yet gentle, lullaby voice
that reminds me a lot of Joni Mitchell, and this coupled with
fingerpicking acoustic guitar and light keyboards and banjo make
the tape very enjoyable. The electric drums on some of the songs
seem to detract from the otherwise human, earthy feel of this tape,
but it's still a good release. (T/DW2)
RANDOM KILLING, "Kicked in the Nuts: A True Story!!"
(Resistance Prods, PO Box 426, 8026 Zurich, SWITZERLAND): Fun
punk from a Canadian band that does indeed tell the title story.
This 6-song EP also includes the wonderful "Deja Vu", a great
madcap party song, as well as the more serious anti-war song
"Foreign Soil". Fast-paced and powerful, good playing, with a foldout
lyrics poster. (EP/MG)_
RATOS DE PORAO, "Anarckophobia" (Roadrunner, 225 Lafa¬
yette St. #407, New York, NY 10012): High-octane Brazilian crossover
harccore/metal, from a band that's been impressing the cognoscenti
for a few years now. Check out their "Rise and Fall", a reflective
song about the rock industry and what happens to bands that make
it too big too fast. Large-girthed vocalist Gordo stands out as one
of the great punk voices on the planet right now. (T/MG)[MA#1227]
THE REAL AMERICANS, "Ltd." ($3 from Porkopolis, PO Box
3529, Cincinnati, OH 45201): A three song cassette with a raw
hardcore punk feel to it. Their sound harkens back to the early
days, before punk got any sort of production to it, and they're
pretty up-front in their lyrics too. (T/MG)
RECIPIENTS OF DEATH , "Final Flight"(Wild Rags Records,
2207 W. Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640-4014): An EP of heavy
duty speedmetal from a trio that somehow seems to play more
guitars than just the two they claim. Their lyrics (not that you can
make them out at this pace, but the sheet is included) are all about
vigilante justice and death and evil men controlling the world and
stuff like that. A barrage of sound. (EP/MG) _
REIN SANCTION, "Creel" b/w "Willowbranch" (SubPop Records,
PO Box 20645, Seattle, WA 98102): VERY warped guitars and vocals
that sound like what Michael Stipe would have sounded like if he
had balls to begin with. Kramer adds his loving touch to the a-side,
taking the sound he has been getting with Galaxie 500 one step
further. "Willowbranch" is a little less superb, but tasty nonetheless.
(45/RJL)
REVERB MOTHERFUCKERS, "LSD-25" (Vital Music, 81 Second
Ave., New York, NY 10003): With colored vinyl and a spraypainted
cover, the RMF are back again. This single is a fine example of the
self-indulgence that comes with success, a two-sided aid trip with
bits of music and noise and vocals fading in and out, achieving a
sort of enlightened disorientation for the listener. Not as good as
their full-length st uff, but still worth a spin, (45/M G)
THE REV. HORTON HEAT, "Psychobilly Freakout" b/w "Baby
You-Know-Who" (SubPop Records, PO Box 20645, Seattle, WA
98102): A complete guitar assault that is aptly described by the title,
but still doesn't prepare you for what's in store. The Rev.'s licks
fly off of his guitar and into your ears so fast that you don't know
what hit you. A sonic delight. "Baby..." sounds unfortunately like
a tame version of the a-side. (45/RJL)
RHYTHM ACTIVISM, "Perogys, Pasta + Liberty" ($8 from Les
Pages Noires, 3699 Hutchison, Montreal, Quebec, H2X 2HR Canada)
The name Rhythm Activism leaves out the melody so richly heard
on this tape. This duo's 7th tape commemorates their 2nd European
tour in the explorations of the music of four cultures, prompting a
'Warning: quadrilingual contents." Activism refers to their socially
concious, intelligently anarchistic interests; fortunately, RA uses a
rubber hammer to make their point in comedic pieces like "7-11
Heaven," while straightening up for a serious historic piece like
"Helen Armstrong." Intelligently light-hearted in a strongly melodic
setting - great fun. (T/PMZ)
RHYTHM ACTIVISM, "War is the Health of the State" ($6 from
Les Pages Noires, 3699 Hutchinson, Montreal, Que., H2X 2H4,
CANADA): Funky politically oriented world beat music. This
particular tape is an EP-lenghth indictment of war, from the cheerful
and upbeat "Yo Ho Ho" to the spoken-word "Mutiny" commercial
to a French-influenced "Apocalypso". Strong words to a danceable
beat with a messa ge that can't be repeated often enough. (T/MG)
RIGHT AS RAIN, "Stop, Look & Listen" (Db Records, 432
Moreland Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307): Roots rock music that's
twangfully soulful. The kind of music that calls to mind front porches
at sunset, prairie music and lonesome fields, road trip rebels and
backyard barbeques. The fluid sense of melody carries along no
matter what the images, while the delivery conveys an immediate
earthiness. This is music equally at home in the bar or on the road.
(T/CS) -_
THE RIOT ACT, "Master Plan" b/w "Tacoma" (Trigon Records,
6837 Hanna Ave., Canoga Park, CA 91303): Sold roadhouse garage
rock fronted by the loveable slightly bruising voice of Carmen
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FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Hillebrew. These two numbers are a solid intro to the band, a couple
of frenzied poundi ng rock/punk attacks. Turn it up . (45/MG)
ROCKNOCEROS, "We're Rocknoceros and We Ear A Lot!" (1300
S. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147): Crazy pop rock with a strong
beat and lots of people making noise. They remind me a bit of the
B-52s, with their zany attitude and strongly danceable songs. Kooky
love songs and a pop-up rhino on the j-card too. Coolth. (T/MG)
SILVIO RODRIGUEZ, "Cuba Classics 1: Silvio Rodriguez Greatest
Hits" (Warner Bros. Records, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
10019-6908): Virtually unknown in the U.S., Cuban singer/songwriter
Silvio Rodriguez has attained stadium-filling superstar status in Latin
America. Citing influences from The Beatles to Leadbelly, his music
is slick, socially-conscious pop that combines Cuban and non-Latin
hooks. Unfortunately the cassette does not include the translations
of the lyrics found with the CD package. The first in a new series
of Cuban popular music recordings compiled by the ever-busy David
Byrne. (TAVM) _
HANS JOACHIM ROEDELIUS, "Der Ohren Spiegel" (Multimood
Records, Ovre Djupedalsgatan 5, 413 07 Goteborg, SWEDEN):
Roedelius has been making innovative electronic music for something
like 25 years now, and his work is as fresh and enjoyable as ever.
This one is mainly contemplative pieces, involving sax and flutes as
well as synthesizers, and with some classical overtones. Very clean,
very intricate, ver y fine. (CD/MG)[MA# 1228] _
ROYAL CRESCENT MOB, "Midnight Rose" (Sire Records, Co.,
75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908) Funky rock with a
down-to-earth feel. Great vocals from all of those involved, and mix
down didn't go too far in cleaning up the haphazard quality that
makes the mob endearing. Songs such as "Apples" have a familiar
feel but aren't rehash of earlier work. Strong funk bass put together
with garage band drums and a blues rock based guitar. Wow! How
did this happen? ( T/RS) _
ROYAL TRUX, "Twin Infinitives" (Drag City Records, PO Box
476867, Chicago, IL 60647): Twin Infinitives—Get it? Get it? Double
LP, by two people. Anyway, Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema
are drug-induced. Their gatefold sleeve greets you—a great, groovy
homage to the 12 by 24 collage, and vinyl and The Seventies and
themselves, in gorgeous low-budget black and white. Then some
smart-ass reviewer in the press kit says it's like Jandek jamming
with Pussy Galore, and that does just about ruin the movie right
on the nose. There's an organ-drenched cut that takes up a whole
side, but the bluesy stuff with intense, raw vocals, such as Haggerty's
on "Yin Jin Verus the Vomit Creature", are best. Totally self-indul¬
gent, hip, and, oh yeah, drug-induced. On a new Chicago label to
look out for. (LP/KF)_
THE RUDY SCHWARTZ PROJECT, "Don't Get Charred, Get
Puffy" $6 from Joe Newman, 5404 Ave. F, Austin, TX 78751): More
wonderful madcap pop bizarro songs from Joe Newman and friends.
With a sound mixing classic cartoons, Frank Zappa and the Bonzos,
they keep things light and intricate. Songs here include the abrasive
"Visiting L.A.? Why Not Castrate a Cop?", the "Creation Science
Polka" and a killer remake of "Cracklin' Rosie". Also has another
version of "An Orange is Nothing But a Juicy Pumpkin", formerly
released on their "Moslem Beach Party" tape. (T/M G)[MA# 1229]
RUSSIAN MEAT SQUATS, "Kdv-The One Who Drives" ($3 from
Easy Records, 5012 Cedar Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143) Basic PA
punk band documenting their history in chronological order from
high school to present. This includes the opening crude fuck song,
a miserable instrumental of "Windy", organ cheese music, cut-ins
of camp songs, street interviews on punk, electronic/prog rock (?),
stage banter of stupid jokes with visible props you can't see, a
"Stepping Stone" cover, and otherwise average punk. The attempt
is to add humor to their grinding, but it's unfocused: when they
finally get down to it, it's not half bad, but even the recent stuff
needs a lot of work. (T/PMZ)
SABBAT, "Mourning Has Broken" (Noise International, 5 Crosby
St., New York, NY 10013): Aggressive metal with soaring vocals
and songs about everything from the Bermuda Triangle to the
Apocalypse. The band has been through a great many members
since forming, but the current lineup is strong and powerful, capable
of awesome amounts of guitar complexity. (CD/MG)
SAINT JOSEPH, "Blessed" (Para-Maniac, PO Box 438724,
Chicago, IL 60643): Polished solo rock, with the songs being
presented in both electric and acoustic versions. I enjoyed the latter
more, especially the percussion-peppiness of "Good Feelings". The
music is perky and loving, and deals with both people and the need
to get those peopl e together. A promising demo. ( T/MG)[MA#1230]
SCALEY ANDREW, "Raising the Goddess" ($3 from Teen Beat,
PO Box 50373, Washington, DC 20091) Off the cuff solo-less pop
on this DC trio's 7", with a kinetic blend of 60's progressions and
concise alternative pop. It's unclear if this is a concious sound for
this band, ot due to Unrest Mark E's productions, but on all 4
songs, clear guitar, bass and drums are somehow diffused into a
blurry pop suspension, making only the vocal skew of "Paul
Robeson" stand out. With every listen I find that the tunes are
good, but that it drops out of memory quickly. (7 "/PMZ)
THE DAN SCHAAF ENSEMBLE, "Songs Without Singers" ($7.50
from Cricket Forum Recordings, 319 Derby, Michigan City, IN 46360):
Electronic music which carefully structures itself to reveal a sweep
of emotions and affinities to both modern and classical instrumentals.
Schaaf concentrates on matching the title to the music—the hopping
of "The Bee", the perkiness of "Cousin OloPs Gregorian Band", the
stateliness of "First Frost". Very pleasant and professional stuff.
(T/MG)[MA#7504] __
DANIEL SCHEIDT, "Action/Reaction" $20.25 from Diffusion i
Media, 4487, rue Adam, Montreal, QUE, HIV 1T9, CANADA): Oddly
attractive experimental music, each piece the result of a duet between
a particular soloist and a piece of interactive computer software. The
computer sets the parameters, the person explores them. Best cuts
include the percussion-based "Obeying the Laws of Physics" and
the vocal; "Stories Told", in which Catherine Lewis's soprano mutates
into the words of an exotic tongue, unknown to any human.
(CD/MG)[M A# 1232]_
SCHERZO/KISMET H.C. split EP (£1.25 from Dave Kismet,
Field House, High St., Leek, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST13
5DZ, ENGLAND): 20 minutes of hardassed hardcore from these two
' groups here. They're both into social issues, with feminism and
animal rights and the futility of violence all coming in for lyrical
notice over the pounding fury of guitars and drums. They even
apologize for the fact that the master was pressed, unbeknownst to
them, by a subsid iary of a multinational. (EP/MG)
HENRY SCHNEIDER, "Lux Aetema" ($6 from 210 Woodcombe,
Houston, TX 77062): Henry runs the Poly 800 User's Group, and
so naturally this music heavily depends on that synthesizer. IPs very
fine, very polished stuff, full of eerie progressions and carefully-de¬
veloped themes. The flip side, "Astralingua", is a collaboration
between Henry and Fred Becker, and gets more bouncy and jaunty
as it goes along. ( T/MG)[MA#7503] _
SCI-PHONICS, self titled (Frank Ridsdale, 834 Lome ave.,
London, Ontario, Canada, NSW 3K8) Four guys of the former rock
band "Uranus" that was torn apart from the test of time. Sci-phonics
was originally formed to simply have fun and waste some time
playing out like they used to, but here they are with a tape in for
review, so something must be happening. Folky rock based around
acoustic and electric guitar, upright bass,and light percussion. Dig
in because iPs a d own home feel from the 60's. ( T/RS)
SCRATCH, "Everyone is Them Everyone But Us"
($2.50 for one, $4.00 for both from 176 Chestnut St. #4, Albany NY
New from The Rudy Schwartz Project
"Don’t Get Charred, Get Puffy"
A brand new 46 minute cassette from the people least
responsible for "Freebird" and 900 phone numbers.
Ned Beatty would have preferred it to being sodomized
in "Deliverance". Buy extra copies for your parents.
Only $6 postpaid ($8 overseas) to:
Joe Newman
5404 Ave. F
Austin, TX 78751
Another Fine Republicancer Product
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
115
12210): These two Eps have a neat-o healthy dose of paranoia, from
their titles to the picture of Charlie Manson on the cover of "Them."
The music inside is much friendlier and accessible pop with a heavy
guitar edge, sometimes on the dark side. Cyn's vocals are lovely in
a Chrissie Hynde way, although they sound a bit strained at times.
Two songs were recorded live at an Albany club and the sound is
murky to say the least, the audience noise drowning out the excellent
"Spark." Nevertheless, this is an impressive debut from a band that
deserves to break out of its local scene. (T/DW)
SCREAMING POPEYES, self-titled ($4 from Jeff Olson, 210 S.
Alta #D, Branon, MO 65616): This is sort of like being let loose in
an audio funhouse as an experiment designed by a crazed studio
happy alien from the future. That's the best way to describe this
intriguing and entertaining debut from the Popeyes—a collage of
helium induced vo cals, electronic sounds and warp ed music. (T/CS)
DAVID SCURR, "Sizes" (DOVentertainment, Inc., 2 bloor St.
West, Suite 100-189, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4W3E2) Side one
opens up with a great story narrated by Sara Pitzer, and continues
on with pieces of synth based noise with a lot of tonal activety.
Good music to rea d a book to. (T/RS) _
SECRECY, "Image of Secrecy" (IWS, PO Box 904, Manhassat,
NY 11030): Pop music heavy on the vocals. The lead song, "In
Cars", shows a lot of promise, a simple tone with lots of harmonies
and a universal teen experience to back it up. Much of their material
is not as distinctive, but this is overall a quite pleasant debut.
(T/MG)[MA# 1233] _
SEEMEN, "Spring Lamb" ($6.00 from 3337 B 17th St., San
Fransisco, CA 94110) Fuzzy, static filled industrial that sounds like
something that was created all at once, as opposed to a piece that
grows one sound at a time and is layered accordingly. Seperate
pieces are distinct from one another in their set ups, but they seem
awfully short, alth ough the whole tape is 45 minu tes long. (T/RS)
THE SEERS, "Psych Out" (Relativity, 187-07 Henderson Ave.,
Hollis, NY 11423) Straight forward, melody based rock'n'roll. Guitars
pick out repetetive verses and slide easily into choruses that revolve
around smooth tenor lyrics. Rhythm Bass and Drums take a backseat
to the most promi nent voice and guitar. (T/RS)
SEPULTURA, "Arise" (Roadrunner Records, 225 Lafayette St.
#407, New York, NY 10012): Grinding speed metal from somewhere
in the Brazilian jungles. Maybe the best part about this album is
the dauntingly surreal cover painting, but then, the music is pretty
hard to ignore itself. Fast guitar solos, growling vocals, endless
power drumming, all wrapped up into one migraine-pounding
morass of heavy metal noise. (T/MG)[MA#1234]
SEX POLICE, "Medallion" ($10 from Baited Breath Productions,
PO Box 3597, Chapel Hill, NC 27515): Funky rock with a touch of
metal, pumped up by an amazing horn section. While a few
numbers—like their eponymous tune—tread dangerously close to
disco territory, in general this is madcap music, multilayered with
plenty to listen to and a beat that won't quit. (CD /MG)
NILS SHIELDS, "Nude Knight" (GLP Music, 652 Moulton Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90031): Nils is apparently hoping to build a rock
career on outrageous secual innuendo (or straightforward sexual
lyrics). But I found his musical style, or what passes for style, to
be mostly just droning. All the songs were the same, lots of
overblown vocals and sliding guitars. I'll pass. (CD /MG)
SHRINKWRAP, "Fear, Loathing and Admiration" ($6 from
Shrinkwrap Propaganda, PO Box 11831, Pittsburgh, PA 15226):
Industrial that may shock you into submission, testing the waters
between humor and horror. This is not violence of the casual sort,
but a thinking person's dive into the cultural machinery, which
makes it that much more intense. Samples sound as if they were
recorded from a television speaker—and they probably were, but
the effect is not low budget, more like your friendly living room
boob tube has gotten real scary, when juxtaposed with diligently
crafted tape loops of noise, and thrown all out of context. It's
dissonant, structured stuff. "Jeopardy (Date Rape)" takes a sample
of that classic quiz show theme, and throws in a beat box,
degenerating into other less friendly sounds including a recording
of a couple fighting and then fucking. Sure, it's only a porno flick,
but... Shrinkwrap controls noise to powerful effect, instead of passing
off noise as a powerful thing in itself (which it's not). Laugh in the
face of death with M. Physema, Placebo Domingo, Floyd X, Amy
L. Nitrate, Anna Rexia. Gamers a Parental Advisory seal of
disapproval. (T/KF)__
SHRINKWRAP & TRAILER COURT FLAMBE, split tape ($5
from PO Box 11831, Pittsburgh, PA 15228): A pair of nearly 20-minute
songs by these two challenging groups. They each incorporate a lot
of tape looping, but Shrinkwrap samples from contemporary sources
while TCF tends to go in for altered live vocals. They go great
together, paranoia feeding on paranoia, tapes, treated pianos,
keyboards, gurgle d guitars. (T/MG) _
SIC, "History Ends Tonight" ($5 from Roger Armstrong, 8605 N.
59th Ave. #2009, Glendale, AZ 85302): The title is apt, as this is a
recording of the band's final show from 1989. Though Roger is now
in Arizona, this was recorded in Tokyo—once again proving that
hardcore is as close to an international language as we are ever
likely to get. They pound through a lineup of about twenty songs,
mostly in English, and you can almost hear the sweat spattering off
the walls. (T/MG) ___
SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK, "The 1st Generation" (ROIR, 611
Broadway #411, New York, NY 10012): A re-release of the band's
early demo tapes. The music is harsh and repetitive, a hip high-tech
gloss over moronic drum machine beats and an abiding fascination
with the musical potential (not actually realized) of technology. The
group was an oddity, a self-professed sham, worth a listen as history
but really no great shakes as music. (T/MG)[MA# 1 235]
SKATENIGS, "Chemical Imbalance" (Wax Trax, 1659 N. Damen
Ave., Chicago, IL 60647): Wild Texan crunch industrial metal funk
dance music. The Skatenigs have an expansive sound, sprawling all
over the musical map, but with a core groove that won't quit—along
with lyrics that condemn narrowmindedness and demand the right
to be different. Serious party music. This CD-single has an intro by
the late Lorri Jackson as well, making it probably an instant collectors'
item. (CD/MG)
SKINNY SLENDER, "A Brazen Beauty" ($3.00 from Hey, 1901*
Centenary, Apt. H-62, Shreveport, LA 71101) An Interesting combo
with their slow drum machine tracks and minimally used acoustic
and electric guitar and bass and keyboard melodies. All instruments
and vocals are effect laden but simplistic, as layering is very light.
Singer has a Peter Murphyish voice perfectly set into pieces such
as "A Science Called Time" that sparks remembrances of Bauhaus.
(T/RS) _
KEVIN SLICK, "Class Struggle" (PO Box 11076, Calder Square,
State College, PA 16805): Gently appealing, this release featured
music that was a little bit rugged and a lot country. Kevin plays
all the instruments here, but avoid the feeling of total homogeniza¬
tion. Mixing in a 60s flavored "mod" atmosphere. The result is not
unlike a bell-bottomed hipper-toned Gordon Lightfoot: simple, but
effective. (T/CS) _X_
KEVIN SLICK, "Gallery" (Kevin Slick, PO Box 11076 Calder Sq.,
State College, PA 16805): Morose, but inoffensive keyboard medita¬
tions—the kind of stuff that confuses the automatic music search
feature on your cassette deck. Slick's "Esq-1" produces a variety of
low-intensity sounds'—breathy, soaring synth drones and acoustic
piano mimicry for the most part—that recall Eno's "Music for
Airports", but the overall "ambient" effect is much shallower and
not one I can savor. Lots of line noise, too. Nothing to get excited
about (which may, in all fairness, be the point). ( T/KS)
SMASHING ORANGE, "My Deranged Heart" b/w "Only
Complete In You" (Ringers Lactate, PO Box 5012, Long Island City,
NY 11105): Spacy, psychedelic music that shows some surprisingly
good songwriting beneath all the fuzz and wah-wah. Droney pop
is one of the big trends these days, but these folks manage to inject
some personality in there, which sets this a cut above the rest.
(45/RJL) _
SMASHING PUMPKINS, "Tristessa" b/w "La Dolly Vita"
(SubPop Records, PO Box 20645, Seattle, WA 98102): One and two
chord riffs that take their cue from Mudhoney, although the B side
goes for some acoustic guitar before the big solo comes in. If SubPop
were the answer to my prayers. I'd be drooling over this; but they're
not, so I won't. (4 5/RJL) _
SMERSH, "Deep House Anthems" ($5 from Atlas King, PO Box
35, South Plainfield, NJ 07080) Beats, electronics, feedback tones,
weird overdubs and warped vocals combine in an upbeat music.
Many of acid house's elements are here, but overlayed with oddness
and electronics, combine to more of a Residents end. Behind the
beats there is a subtle level of sound manipulation in the mesmerizing
116
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
use of tones: the "20,000 Fathoms..." of. their RRRecord is harbored
more deeply and delicately in "Japanese Coffee Candy" than ever
before. It may be their 'Vulgar Modernism' publishing name that
best describes Smersh as they continue to pump out their energetic
and quirky structu res. (T/PMZ) _
SMILE, "Seventh Free Record" ($6 from Starfyre Records do
Mike Waterman, 427 N. 11th St., Dekalb, IL 60115) Two guitars,
bass and drums are the basis of this band's alternativelly alternative
rock sound. Slower than hardcore and definitely not folk, one might
compare them to the likes of Galaxie 500, with their rhythm guitar,
and bass groove thing. Attention all maniac collectors: all of the
album covers are one-of-a-kind, hand done. A good introductory
first release. (LP/RSJ__ 7
THE SOLENOID HUMS, "The Enemy" ($3 from Kevin Lintner,
827 N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA 17603-2739): Nasty edgy near-in¬
dustrial pounding music. Everything, vocals and guitar and keyboards
and beat, all seems a bit fuzzed out, transmitted by broken radios
from a future rife with smoking carcasses of exploded robots. "I
Fisted Jesse Helms " deserves some sort of title aw ard. (T/MG)
SOLITARY MOB, "Shade of Experience" (Andy Duong, 3816
Aspenwood Dr., Bedford TX 76021): Thick, wall-of-sound synthesizer
songs are among the most polished I've heard in the bloated genre.
Audiophile quality recording techniques, high melodrama, and Daniel
Ash styled vocals round out the expected early 80s British electronic
pop approach, weaving between songs to make young women in
black alternately dance and swoon. Includes a humorless cover of
"Sunshine" ("...sunshine, you are my sunshine..."). Not a smidgen
of tape hiss, anyw ay. (T/KF) _
SORE THROAT, "And We Don't Care" (Weasel Records, PO
Box 1274, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266): 112 tracks of screaming
hardcore thrash. This is a compilation of two LPs and an EP, plus
one extra bonus track. Musically, Sort Throat is not much more
than a blur, and without the included lyrics it would be impossible
to figure out what they're singing about at all. An oddity and a
grand din. (CD/MG)_
SOSUMI, "Bad Day At the Lab" (Synthetic, PO Box 609478,
Geveland, OH 44109): Heady cynical rock that made me laugh until
I cried. "CD Players in Outer Space" goes after the Star Wars
program; "This is Supposed to be Fun" challenges the plasticization
of music, while "Holocaust Rock" tackles the lighter side of nuclear
destruction. They end with a bitched-up cover of "I Am The Walrus".
Wonderfully enjoy able. (CD/MG) __
SOULSIDE, "Soon Come Happy" ($10 from Dischord, 3819
Beecher St. NW, Washington, DC 20007): A walloping twenty-three
songs of DC punk, two LPs and a seven inch all mushed together.
Strong rhythms, angry vocals, and a social conscience are the prime
ingredients here—screaming and guitar gymnastics are downplayed
in favor of a tight sound that demands thought and reaction. Comes
with a full lyric b ooklet, of course. (CD/MG)
SOUND OF MY OWN VOICE, "Where's Tommy" b/w "Valerie
Dear" (Noiseville, PO Box 124, Yonkers, NY 10719): Catchy pop
ditties that show a flair for some inventive chordal structuring. The
production is a bit on the thin side, robbing the guitars of some of
their impact, but all in all pretty enjoyable when help up to what
other bands are d oing in the same genre. (45/RJL)
SPARROWS, "Hey Kari G." b/w "Smile My Caroline" ($3 from
Susstones, PO Box 6425, Minneapolis, MN 55406): Pure shimmering
pop music, stuff that could have been recorded any time in the past
three decades or so. The Sparrows are a simple and up-front band,
blending pleasant melodies with nice harmonies and easy lyrics. The
result is something close tot he eternal pop formula, a song you
hum and smile to while it's on and forget afterwa rds. (45/MG)
SPINNING JENNY, "Dizzifying Heights" (738 Park St., Stough¬
ton, MA 02072): Progressive rock that is trying hard but not quite
there yet. Their main assets are a talent for touching songwriting
and the crisp vocals of Cherie Felos. On the downside, the production
here is a bit rocky, and the songs tend to blur into one another,
with their similar progressive/crossover sounds. But there's definitely
some good stuff h ere. (T/MG)[MA#1236] _
SPITPOPE, "Sing A Song Of Satan" (Go Ahead Records, PO Box
424, Haslett, MI 48840) Side one, "Wasting Away" starts slowly with
a simple melody played on electric guitar and Melanoma singing
desperate lyrics in her strong but haunting voice. Just at the point
when one starts to accept the song for being lovely and slow.
Spitpope breaks into a fast, grinding pace and drives the listener
into the ground- it's wonderful. Side two, that isn't quite as
surprising, breaks off into a controlled jam, bringing in more of that
reverb ridden guit ar sound. This band is good. (4 5/RS)
THE SQUIRRELS, "What Gives?" (Popllama, PO Box 95364,
Seattle, WA 98145-2364): It's a cheap and easy shot, but it still has
to be taken: the Squirrels are definitely squirrelly. They do a medley
of Oz songs 90's fashion, give us some modern angst in "The
Demise of Ricky Nelson", and slam a couple of covers including
"Game of Love". Their sound runs from pop to psychedelic, stopping
off along the way f or some good clean musical paro dy fun. (CD/MG)
CARL STALLING, "The Carl Stalling Project: Music From Warner
Bros. Cartoons 1936-1958" (Warner Bros. Records, 75 Rockefeller
Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908): Loony Toons Music. Stalling, as
Warner Bros, cartoon music composer/arranger, produced some of
the most hilarious and complex music ever recorded. Complete
soundtracks and medleys here feature music you grew up on,
including the perennial factory background tune, "Powerhouse" and
"Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals." Several raw session
tapes also provide insight into both the incredible difficulty of these
works and the high craft of the studio musician. Amazing and very
funny. (CD/WM) ^ _ 7
JUSTIN STARK, "All to Kill a Rattlesnake" (Indian Creek, PO
Box 4247, Portland, OR 97208): Solo guitar rock with a rather somber
and foreboding feel to it. Stark seems determined to explore some
of the darker byways, not necessarily to bring people down, but to
make dark music. At times gentle, at times with a harder edge, this
material is professi onal without being polished. (T /MG)[MA# 12371
STEEL POLE BATH TUB, "Tulip" ($7 from Boner Records, PO
Box 2081, Berkeley, CA 94702-0081): Remember the story of LORD
OF THE FLIES, where the schoolkids devolve into little beasts when
separated from civilization? Well, if they got rescued, grew up and
formed a band, it would probably sound a lot like these Montana
castaways. They put together tape loops, aggressive guitar, and
vocals from hell to form thickets of noise that chase down the
listener and poke h im with sharp sticks. A joy to vi brate to. (LP/MG)
STELCH, "The Great Uprising" (PO Box 64726, Chicago, IL 60664):
Blistering, angry acid/grunge that kicks in like you never heard it
before. You haven't. These guys got horsepower to spare. "I Wish
I Was a Little Rock" is one of the biggest payoffs, its dangerous,
grinding, distorted riff punctuated by the spoonful-of- saccharine,
wired-up-on-Jesus voice of a woman spouting goop on a children's
record. It's brilliant and so is the brutal hip-hop dissection of the
title cut. So is the whole album, man. Somehow Stelch manages to
avoid the whole whitey/dance/sample thing and go straight for your
skull with a baseball bat. The only way to dance to this is to thrash
wildly on the floor. I prefer to blare it on headphones and play
video games, stoned out of my gourd. It's pretty funny, too. I don't
know what they rest of you saps will get, but the review copy is
pressed on blood-r ed vinyl. Write now and beg fo r one. (LP/KS)
STICK FARM/THE PERFECT CRIME (7 DM/$5 from Weed
Productions, Sonnhalde 45, 7800 Freiburg, West Germany) Stick Farm
is a Canadian band with hardcore influences and a reserved Big
Black tendency in beat and crunchiness, though with a 70's metal
sound in their solos. The Perfect Crime is German, opening with a
dark "Alice in Wonderland", a driving melodic piece of distortion
and sustained guitar interplay, in strong voice describing a woman
of the street in her self-defined fantasy. "Circulation of the Words"
picks up a Baal-like Bowie tone in a building narrative of futility
dedicated to "Death of a Salesman". Though pairing two rather
disparate bands, a 7" worth checking into. (7'7PM Z)
ST. JAMES, "Attitude" (Coast to Coast, 6253 Hollywood Blvd.,
Hollywood, CA 90028): Well, I had this on the stereo and a friend
walked in and said, "Oh, you're playing some good music for a
change". In this case that means fairly mainstream hard rock, from
a band just a wee bit puffed up with itself—comparing themselves
to "Bon Jovi having an epileptic fit" is one aspect of this. Slick
material, aimed at the dorm and frat crowd and the arena audiences
of the future. (T/MG)
STRAIGHTJACKET FITS, "Melt" (Arista Records, 6 W. 57th St.,
New York, NY 10019): A New Zealand band with a desolate,
sometimes melancholy sound to them. They mix clever poppy hooks
and guitar attacks, plenty of harmonies and lots of tension. Groomed
for alternative success. (T/MG)
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
117
STRETCHHEADS, "23 Skinner" (Blast First, 429 Harrow Rd.,
London W10 4RE, ENGLAND): A wonderfully dense and demented
dance cut that "borrows" more from the band 23 Skidoo than just
their logo on the cover. The groovy beat and sampled oddities sound
like any of Skidoo's best, but the Stretchheads push it to the limit
before devolving into the theme from "Rhoda" (?), which for some
reason sounds like the way-cool closing theme from "Sesame Street".
From there it ends with some tribal thump. The flip side sounds
like "Creamcorn"-era Buttholes. Derivative, but who's complaining?
(EP/RJL)
SUBJUGATOR, "The Hatred Principle" ($4 from Steve Blair, 38
Richardson St., Newton, MA 02158): A three song demo with lyrics
and stickers, this one is in the death-crunchy neighborhood that the
group's name might lead you to suspect. Mostly they sing about
how lousy society is these days, the suppression of youth, and the
breeding of a human race with no future. All this comes with metal
sludgeforces desig ned to overload your brain. (T/M G)
SUICIDAL SUPERMARKET TROLLEYS, "Greetings From Lon¬
don" (Resistance Productions, PO Box 426, 8026 Zurich, SWITZER¬
LAND): Not since Anti Nowhere League, or maybe Anti Pasti have
I heard such raw, sweaty unshaven working class rough and stubbly
punk rock. There's a big powerful sound to be had here, one that
manages to hold its own despite its fundamentally basic approach.
While the overall genre is getting a bit tired, this particular delivery
of it is still quite f resh. (EP/CS) _
SUPERCHUNK, "Cool" b/w "Fishing" ($3 from Merge Records,
PO Box 1235, Chapel Hill, NC 27514) Grungey rock with a pop
punk undertone and just a shade of rising melody below. Being
"Cool" to this band is a heavy sound, and a dense layering of
guitars and voice is their preferred approach. "Fishing" is a more
churning tune, with a hardcore Sonic Youth flavor, using SY guitar
drilling under a barked out vocal approach. If not exactly a chunky
single, it's definitel y thick. (45/PMZ) _
SYMBOLIKS, "Ticket to Everywhere" (£3 from Chainsaw cas¬
settes, 11, Layton Road, Islington, London N1 OPX, ENGLAND):
Instrumental experimental noise music crackups. They range from
maddening bazouki looping to Wax Trax-style industrial dance music.
Parts of side two are pretty flat, with long uninteresting stretches,
but for the most part the changes here are well done and the
compositions emotionally charged with percussive energy.
(T/MG)[MA#7502] ______
TARGET 29, demo tape ($4 CASH from 627 Taylor St. #21, San
Francisco, CA 94102): I tried to like this one, but it was tough. Their
strengths lie in being simple and direct. Their weakness is that
neither Howard's guitar nor Donna's singing is all that attractive;
both seem unpolished and rough-edged. The crowd that digs folks
like Beat Happening and Daniel Johnston may dig this too, but it
left me cold. (T/MG)__
TECHNICAL ACADEMY, "The Technical Academy Plays bOb"
($6 from Bob Lee, Sebastopol, CA 95473-0846): Experimental
instrumental music, tackling things like time-delayed improvisation,
songs featuring different tempos for different instruments, and other
bizarrities. Overall it works out very well, coming across as
interesting rather than abrasive, the dissonance always having a
purpose and a direction. Jazz from an alternate dimension. (T/MG)
TEMPLE OF THE DOG, self-titled (A & M, 1416 North LaBrea
Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028): Featuring members of Soundgarden
and Mother Love Bone, the project was conceived out of the tragedy
of Andrew Wood's death (vocalist for Mother Love Bone), and
pursued in the spirit of life and fun. Strong and stirring with lots
of power, the music recalls the days of 70s power ballads and hard
rock without leaning too heavily into the commercial kitsch that
accompanied many of the releases of that time pe riod. (T/CS)
THANATOPSIS THRONE, "Quit to Win" ($7 from Spasms
Cassettes, 504 W. 24th #87, Austin, TX 78705): Dark and eerie pop
music, the sort to send shivers down the spine on cold nights. With
lots of keyboards and downbeat guitars and the occasional highlight
of clarinet or harmonica, the put together excellent polished
minor-key stuff here. Not quite pop, but who knows what else to
call it—death pop? Attractive, anyhow. (T/MG)
THINKING FELLOWS UNION LOCAL 282, "The Natural Finger"
(Ajax Records, PO Box 146882, Chicago, IL 60614): Choppy rhythms
and strong vocals (I wish I knew her name) dress up this 4-song
EP. "Leaky Bag" sounds great, music that takes the mold, shatters
it, and dances on the pieces. Harmonic madness that's worth seeking
out and playing re peatedly, beyond rock into—som ething. (45/MG)
THREE LEGGED DOG, "Loaded" ($8 ppd from Bomp! Records,
PO Box 7112, Burbank, CA 91510): Powerful midwest hardcore from
this great three-piece. Three Legged Dog manage to create a very
distinct and original sound with a wide variety of songs that don't
need to follow the everyday "play fast, mosh part, play fast again"
hardcore recipe. Bobby Christopher's pissed off vocals and guitar
play off of Tim Aynardi's innovative basslines while Deva
Maheswaran keeps the beat with some cool snare/cymbal work.
"Loaded" contains a wide variety of Dog recordings from '87 to '89
including a great ballad-like tune called "Black Eyes." Don't miss
out on this long-a waited piece of vinyl. (LP/DW2)
THROWING MUSES, "The Real Ramona" (Sire Records, 75
Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908): An album which is a
bit poppier, perhaps more mainstream, than past efforts from the
Muses—though "Counting Backwards", the lead cut, is firmly in the
alternative rock arena, and David Narcizo's drums seem to have
taken on new life here, with plenty of beat-heavy tracks scattered
throughout. The trademark vocal harmonies are still there, the sound
still distinctive, bu t evolving rather than stagnant. (T/MG)
THRU BLACK HOLES BAND, "Space Trip" (Carl Howard,
Audiofile Tapes, 209-25 18 Ave., Bayside, NY 11360): The self-pro¬
fessed goal of this band "was to produce original material similar
to early Pink Floyd, Hawkwind or the Residents." They have
succeeded, I think, particularly in the Hawkwind department. Long,
ambling, linear pieces here (even the short cuts, somehow), with
lots of space-rock guitar, warbling keyboards, and enigmatic
vocals—all run through plenty o'effects pedals. Given the genre
limitations here, some of this is pretty intense, though the sound
quality is close to atrocious. An accompanying 8-page booklet features
some of founder/mastermind Michael Roden's extremely cool
comix-derived illus trations. (T/KS) _ __
TANITA TIKARAM, "Everybody's Angel" (Reprise Records, 3300
Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505): Husky-voiced singing with
thoughtful lyrics and a sort of new age spiritual musical backing.
Tanita has roots in Germany, Fiji, Malaya and England, giving her
an accent impossible to describe and hard to forget. A very distinctive
sound, and one that will appeal to many who stay away from the
further reaches of new music. (T/MG) _
TOO MUCH JOY, "Cereal Killers" (Giant Records, 345 North
Maple Drive, Suite 205, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-3855): "TMJ is Jay
Blumenfield, Tim Quirk, Sandy Smallens, and Tommy Vinton. It is
also a way of life, a state of mind and a mouth disease." That's
their words, and I can only add a great band to boot. This tape
has hardly left my car since I first put it in. The music is kind of
a cross between The Dead Milkmen and Scruffy the Cat. The tunes
have so many hooks in them I'll christen it velcro pop. 14 tunes
with nary a clinker on it. They can crash in my living room any
time. (T/KL)_
DEBRA TORRE, "Fast lane" (American Record Distribution, 1500
E. Chevy Chase Dr., Glendale, CA 91206): A new dance-oriented
single that goes heavy on the percussion, programming, mixing.
Technically it is real slick, as music it's only so-so, without any
particular human s ide to it. (EP/MG) _
TRAILER COURT FLAMBE, "Firemans Carnival" ($5 from
Gregory Parker, Guess Behemoth Inc., 916 W. College Ave. #3,
State College, PA 16801): Aggressive sound collages from the duo
of Craig Whitman and
Greg Parker. They put
together tape loops
with live keyboards,
guitars and vocals to
form walls of intimi¬
dating noise, a snip¬
pet of opera here, a
bit of TV there, dental
drills injecting viruses
deep into your brain.
It takes a while to
calm down again
when this one is over;
definitely psychoac¬
tive. (T/MG)
118
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
TRASH VEGAS, "Legal High Blues" b/w "Rated X" (Get Hip
Records, PO Box 666, Canonsburg, PA 15317) "Legal High Blues"
rocks steady from this five member band out of Pittsburgh and gets
more wild on the flip side with "Rated X". Both songs sound like
they were an inspiration to jam rather than to convey a message
of any sort, as the lyrics are very minimalistic and quite repetitive
sung in a throaty, thrash style. Much emphasis is put on lead guitar
and drums. (45/RS)
THE TROUBLE WITH LARRY, "Anemone" ($3 from Good Kitty
Records and Tapes, 201-A N. Davis Ave., Richmond, VA 23220):
Madcap cacophonous punk/pop music. The lead song "Paranoia" is
paranoia incarnate, all wild "buzzbox" and adrenalin-busting bass
lines and vocals from hell. The band has a real presence, dark and
eerie, and a sound that can't stand still long enough to get a handle
on, but worth foll owing just to hear the aftermath . (EP/MG)
TRYPTIC OF A PASTEL FERN, "Star Versus Cube" (Poison Plant
Music, 7 Woodsend PI, Rockville, MD 20854) Crazy overdub
madness, kinetic percussion, messed synth, and twisted humor; a
Negativland comparison is in order by hectic pacing and unlikely
elements used. But the percussive sense sets it apart, as well as the
use of synths pushed and pulled to the edges, and, most obviously,
a blatant sense of humor. That humor is quite bizarre, at times
spastically stupid, but quite effective: the argument at the end of
the 1st side is worth the price alone. Set against the impressive
and, as they point out, intense, music, this is a wonderfully hyper
and confusing rec ord worth hearing. (EP/PMZ)
TUMOR CIRCUS, "Take Me Back Or I'll Drown Our Dog" b/w
"Swine Flu" (Alternative Tentacles, PO Box 11458, San Francisco,
CA 94101) It comes as no suprise to Biafra/DK fans that Jello is
obsessed with the media. "TMBOIDOD" is focused soley on that
silliness and 'how life should be,' with lyrics of headlines and 'news'
briefs, Jello's sarcastic commentary between. The Tumor Circus band
of Steel Pole Bathtub and King Snake Roost members makes a great
sound: heavy, yet less the rapid thrash of the average Jello cut.
'Swine Flu" is about picking up said disease from a stray cat, the
point of which evades me, but with this band behind, is a good
song on a strong single. (45/PMZ) __
RICK ULMAN, "It is Better to Make Three War Songs Than
World War Three" ($3.50 from PO Box 15075, St. Louis, MO 63110):
This one was out in mid-February but thanks to our reviewing
schedule it seems a bit less current now. Only a bit, though, because
Rick's acoustic guitar and folk style anti-war songs, while they do
have reference to Iraq, are still worth a listen. Simple, a bit rough
around the edges, but very sincere and heartfelt p rotest. (T/MG)
UMCLUNK, "bareschlonghoagie," THE VELVETEEN CLUNK,
"Cornin' atcha babe! (Chris Comer, 27459 W. river, Perrysburg, OH
43551) Two sjdes of this improv band recorded live at BGSU, the
Bowling Green college station. "Comin atcha" is a quirky improv
jazz piece with no (apparent) guitar on it. The drums are up a bit
far in the mix, and the piece was a little short, but only that I
wanted more. The full Umclunk experience unshackled itself during
"bareschlonghoagie," a free-for-all jam that left me laughing with
glee at the sheer madness and fury of it. The tension created by
zonked noise guitar, light jazz piano, wildly ker-plunking bass and
frantic drumming bounces the sound around, sometimes sending
the whole thing right the fuck off the handle, before bringing it
back to some semblance of order. The beauty of Umclunk is their
insanely masterful control over what appears to be the uncontrollable.
Jazz-thrash—now t here's a mutationlflTTG) _
UNCHAINED, "Locked Out" (Rock City Productions, 1415 Main
St. #720, Worcester, MA 01603): A first tape from an Allentown
band that shows a good deal of promise. Their biggest asset is Gary
O's playing the bass guitar as a lead instrument, lending a very
bluesy overtone to their rock playing. Their lyrics are perhaps a bit
overblown, but the sound is cool and worth replaying.
(T/MG)[MA# 1239] r 7 6
VAMPIRE RODENTS, "War Music" (Daniel Vahnke, PO Box
36988, Phoenix, AZ 85067): This is absolutely fabuloqs, modern
techno-industrial funk-pop with lyrics out of tomorrow's papers and
the dark corners of hip mutant brains They sing about the decline
of civilizations, crack babies, violence in the streets, the extinction
of people, and more-check out "Abortion Clinic Deli" if you dare.
With keyboards and samples and guitar and heavy percussion they
create a suffocating sound that pursues your ego re lentlessly. (T/MG)
VAN GOGH'S ROUGHRIDERS, "Little Rituals" (Radio Cinema,
11300 4th St. #140, St. Petersburg, FL 33716): Weird rock pop blues
stuff—check out the song "A Rune With a View" for some lyrical
madness. They're heavy on the vocals and playfulness, and light
on things like guitars. Music to mess with your mind just a bit, to
the accompanimen t of pleasant melodies and harm onies. (T/MG)
Various Artists, "16 Guys Against the Rest of the World Vol. I"
(Weed Productions, Sonnhalde 45, 7800 Freiburg, W. Germany) The
West German Weed Productions compiles four punk/hardcore bands
on this 7", starting with the US pop punk of Broken Toys, a dark
Buzzcocks sound singing of poor luck. Schweiz's Doctor Paranoise
is driving with an almost Zoogz Rift rant vocally. West Germany's
Carefree doesn't quite emulate their band name, playing a thick
punk with heavy drumming and direct progressions. The record
ends on an energetic note with Gulag's Grecian punk, a good guitar
refrain running throughout, with an invigorated solo before the final
chorus. Quality pu nk. (7'7PMZ) _
Various Artists,1977 Is Not Dead" ($6 from Pierre Roussel, PO
Box 643 Station C, Montreal, Quebec, H2L-4LS, Canada) The safety
pin cover tells you that it's not the Talking Heads "1977" refers to.
Instead, this is a '77 roots of punk Canadian and US compilation
that comes with issue #6 of Rambling Rose. Though of varying
sound quality, and with a few forced cuts, most of this does indeed
show that bands are still playing punk with a lot of energy and
infectiousness. Highlights include Amnesie, the French singing Les
Krostons, the straight on beats of Rhythm Collision, Ripcordz's harsh
throated upbeat punking, and the thicker hardcore strains of The
Wretched Ones. ( T/PMZ) _
Various Artists, "all genre 'Just Listen' Cassette" ($50/12 issues
from all genre, 738 Main St., Suite 387, Waltham, MA 02254- 9038):
The audio portion of the all genre Monthly Music Report, a sort
of grassroots CMJ. This is Volume I, Report 1 and their stated goal
is to transcend labels like "country", "rock" and "college" and present
music from, yes, all genres. They offer four choices this time out;
the two that appealed to me were the Iris & Ofer Portugaly Quartet,
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
119
a pleasing jazz outfit featuring a killer rhythm section (i.e. photogenic
drummer/vocalist Iris P.) that takes off from traditional Israeli
"rhythms and melodies", and Laurence Cook & Marc Leibowitz,
who experiment—successfully, I think, on a rustling, low-frequency
sonic playground. Side B is Leo Ego (boring, self-congratulatory TV
soundtrack music) and Gas Food Lodging (Miami Sound Machine
in college radio dr ag). (T/KS) _
Various Artists,"Art Strike Mantra ($10.00 from Sandbar Willow
Press, PO Box 978, Hanover, NH 03755) Against making art for
product consumption, this is an audio collage of numerous artists
from around the world that support the Art Strike going on from
1990-1993. All collage material is compiled by Cracker Jack Kid
according to his own whim and desire, and he piles his clipping's
high and uses lots of glue. (T/RS) _
Various Artists, "Auricular Monthly Audio Magazine #2" ($6 from
Auricular Records, 575 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117) One of
the nicer industrial/ experimental compilations I've come across.
Sealed in a small brown cylinder are a card pack of art work and
titles, an odd bit of news, and the cassette itself. The cassette
presents the works of Black Museum, Matt Chappel, Jim Juhn, Waste
Inc, Foundation for Public Broadcasting, and Drew Dobbs & Rob
Wortman (of Big City Orchestra). With mesmerizing subsonics,
throbbing thumps, rhythmic overdub strangeness, actively destructive
noize, and a general love of sound and its potential, this is a well
paced and well pa ckaged tape. (T/PMZ) _
Various Artists, "Beware of the Sign" ($3 from Upstate Records,
283 Betsinger Rd., Sherrill, NY 13461-1208): A hardcore comp that
comes out of the DIY spirit—collect some bands, get a dubbing
recorder, and just do it. Perhaps the biggest name here is that of
Hogan's Heroes. Other bands represented include Enrage, Initial
Cause, Forced Down, Process of Elimination and Refuse to Fall. Not
spectacular, but n ot bad. (T/MG) _
Various Artists, "Bull Press Audio Fanzine Compilation Volume
2" ($3 or "tapes of whatever" from monsterbation inc., 249-2 Edwards
St., Binghampton, NY 13901): A densely-packed, low-fi mix of
energetic bands and found spoken word samples. Darryl Pestilence
has compiled an audio fanzine that works, i.e. it doesn't leave the
listener completely clueless. The bands range from Royal Crescent
Mob funk (Weehawken), early punk influence (The Orville Redenboc-
ker Experience), hip-hop (Decibel Rebels), and hardcore/reggae
(Sockeye), to name a few. The bombardment of audio bits from
film, television, radio and who knows where else reflect a sense of
humor, a passion for horror flicks and a healthy outrage over
censorship and "war atrocities". If this was a printed zine I imagine
it would be crammed to the edges and xeroxed as haphazardly as
most of this is recorded, but fuck it—when Pestilence's metabolism
stabilizes, he could be producer wiz of the future. Fun stuff. (T/KF)
Various Artists, "Cowboy Tea Show Compilator Vol. 1" (Rocket
Sound Records, PO Box 40397, St. Paul, MN 55104) The cowboys
must be branding their cattle pretty hard to come up with a comp
like this. Four bands give out a dense and heavy rocking tune
apiece, nicely produced on 10" vinyl. The Morgantics open with a
push/pull tune of thick vocals and a Subpop sound, followed by
Monster Zero's tight, punkish elements and quick bass lines. The
2nd side starts with a frantically paced Bone Club tune using good
syncopated drums, with Superball 63 ending on a grungey voiced
chugging hardcore note. What this has to do with the west is beyond
me, but it's a fine intro to 4 good bands. (10"/PM Z)
Various Artists, "The Electronic Cottage International Compilation
Cassette Series, Vol. 2" ($7 from Hal McGee, Electronic Cottage, PO
Box 3637, Apollo Beach, FL 33572): Not solely electronic music, as
those familiar with the EC 'zine might deduce, but one in a projected
series of ten 90-minute cassettes "documenting and archiving the
breadth and diversity of the underground home taper scene." As a
result, there's a shitload of different stuff here (22 selections). Some
of it is excellent (Fred Lomberg-Holm's disturbing manipulations of
"People Talking About Animals", Darren Copeland's meditative
composition for solo bass clarinet, and the rushing sonic landscapes
of Abner Malaty, for starters), some not so excellent (Kiaro Skuro's
"fresh, contemporary rock sound", the boring pseudo-hip-hop of
Kustom Kar Kommandos). The recording quality varies drastically
from cut to cut, but any problems seem to lie with the originals,
as the overall sound is very good indeed. There's a subscription
option for the whole shebang, too. Write for details. (T/KS)
Various Artists, "Exterminator Dance Hall Revue" (ROIR, 611
Broadway #411, New York, NY 10012): ROIR seems to be releasing
more Caribbean sounds than ever these days, and this is a fine
addition to their stable. With a host of DJs and toasters and all the
computer wizardry you could imagine, simple themes come alive,
loop, rewind, disintegrate, vanish under sudden vocal bursts and
otherwise mutate. Despite the techno-changes, the beat is always
paramount, and th ese sound will get the blood mo ving hot. (T/MG)
Various Artists, "Grind Crusher" (Combat, 187-07 Henderson
Ave., Hollis, NY 11423): The most recent fruit of the Combat/Earache
distribution deal, this CD introduces 24 of the thrashing, loud, chaotic
bands on the Earache label. Morbid Angel, Lawnmower Deth,
Napalm Death, Sore Throat, Carnage, Hellbastard and Terrorizer are
among the headbangers here. A smorgasbord of incredibly nasty
growly death meta l noise. (CD/MG) _
Various Artists, "Haektpiko Maxaipi Fanzine" (Ilias Polihronakis,
Hektriko-Maheri, PO Box 108, GR 731 10, Chania, GREECE): I don't
know exactly what to make of this. It's like somebody made a tape
of cool music they were listening to and just decided to mass-produce
it. There's lot of stuff here from major- label artists (Devo, David
Byrne, Controlled Bleeding) that seems to have been appropriated
without consent, and the only independent operator I recognize is
Ditto, which leads me to believe that whoever put this thing together
did it without notifying those represented. The idea was probably
to spread the good word (and a lot of this music is, in fact, very
good), but I don't know if the originators of the information being
disseminated would appreciate the effort. Send no money, that's for
sure. (T/KS) __
Various Artists, "Hyde Recordings Sampler" ($4 from Hyde
Recordings, PO Box 831, Reisterstown, MD 21136-0831): Kicking off
with the opening riff of the "Munsters Theme", Cry Back the Dying
provide some muddy-but-energetic, groovy-but-"Goth Age", thor-
oughly good time rock and roll. Theatre of Ice kick in some more
in a similar vein. (What a great Halloween double bill, methinks.)
Exhume is noisier, more biker-psychedelic, and seems genuinely
intense. The three bands explore the sampler's chosen theme as well
and as honestly inspired as can be expected (a skeleton crouched
in a graveyard is the neat cover art), though the last act. Ghoul
Squad, is, unfortunately, less successfully derivative: the product of
nebulous influence and melodramatic tendencies. The Hyde folks
were wise enough to provide contact addresses for all these bands.
Another of those don't-bother-flipping-the-tape-over collections.
(T/KF) _
Various Artists, "In On the Ground Floor" ($3 from Craig
Blomquist, 48 Beck Rd., Lindenhurst, IL 60046): Another fine
compilation from Cud Brain Tapes. This one starts off with Bloody
Mess and the Skabs doing their classic "Ugly Friends" (plus 3 other
songs), and includes F. Defective, Sockeye, Judge Nothing (a hot
band I hadn't heard before). Barbie Army, Jack Scratch and more.
Plenty of rocking and loud hardcore here, in the best DIY tradition.
(T/MG) _
Various Artists, "I Sold My Trombone (for Rocknroll)" ($3 from
Bug Scratch Tapes, 2882 Barton Skyway #212, Austin, TX 78746): A
three-song compilation flexi, the first venture of Bug Scratch outside
4-SONG r EP
"ANEMONE”
'Nothing less than brilliant." -THE
SPLATTER EFFECT
Tight and powerful sound...bursting
with heavy drums and impressive
guitars. A melody that hammers
into your brain.' -FACTSHEET FIVE
$3.00 postpaid, make
checks payable to
Richard Sarvay.
ALSO AVAILABLE:
'Cold Day in Hell' EP
"Otto Mesmer’ single
$2.50 each, ppd.
GOOD KITTY RfCORDS
201-A M. DAVIS AVt.
RICHMOND, VA 23220 ^
120
Audio Reviews
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
the cassette market. They're all sort of power-punk songs, with
tracks from Humidifier, Thompson's Disease, and Face of Decline
included. The lead band is probably the strongest, but all three have
some thrash energ y to offer. (FL/MG) _
Various Artists, "Just Listen" March 1991 (all genre.,738 Main
Street, Suite #387, Waltham, MA 02254-9038): This is my first taste
of an all genre, production; it lives up to it's name. Four artists are
spotlighted here giving enough room to show the diversity (or lack
thereof) of each. We Saw the Wolf sings a couple straight ahead
Celtic tunes, then adds a Talking Heads feel to a couple more.
Sabrina Fontaine Cordelia Kaleta reads some of her poetry which is
much more plea sent than her voice. One nice piece from her concerns
growing up as a minority white in L.A. Seth Cahn sings some songs
of a folky feel. The tape ends with Urban Ambience, a very good
experimental group which provides aural strangeness that doesn't
scare the neighbor s. All in all, a nice variety. (T/K L)
Various Artists, "Louder Than God Tour" ($2 from PLP, PO Box
702, Redmond, OR 97756): Four Japanese bands playing loud music.
The best of the bunch may be Nukey Pike's bizarre cover of "Purple
Haze", with accented lyrics and electronic keyboards, Idora weigh
in with some hardcore. Mink Oil some thrash, and Urban Terror
close it with the tig ht and grinding "King Kong Knee Drop". (FL/MG)
Various Artists, "A Matter of Degrees (Soundtrack Album)"
(Atlantic Recordings, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019):
"A Matter of Degrees" is a new movie set at a fictional college
radio station, and so the soundtrack is college radio music. Performers
include fIREHOSE, Mirackle Legion, the Pixies, Schoolly D, Uncle
Tupelo and Throwing Muses, all having recorded specially for this
release. (T/MG) _
Various Artists, "Out of Your Freaking Mind"($4 from Porkopolis,
PO Box 3529, Cincinnati, OH 45201): Another miscellaneous collection
of music from one of the more prolific compilation outfits around.
Rock Stars of Love score a weird Christmas song with their
"Mandatory Drug Test of Love", while Gift Horse do a Clash-like
rocker on "Radio Kremlin". A bit of rock, lots of punk, varied sound
quality, and your chance to get exposed to bands like Plush Angus
and Opiate of the Masses. (T/MG) _
Various Artists, "'Perhaps Meteors...', Suggested Willoughby" ($6
Australian, $7 US from You're Standing On My Hula Hoop
Productions, PO Box 273, Leongatha 3953, Victoria, AUSTRALIA):
Somehow, you must address that people from the other side of the
globe are speaking another language, even if it is still English. The
sense of humor is as fun as it is startling, though: the young Carly
Jane Buckman singing "Do Re Mi" acappella, Robert Brokenmouth's
"Hey Fats Waller". It's mostly acoustic-leaning, but really nothing
like "anti-folk": everone is having such a good time. Nice, seemingly
a more well-known act, puts forth the brilliant ode to the joys of
wage labor, "Got A Promotion". Pretty interesting and enjoyable
stuff, and probably not what you expect, unless Hoopla 15, which
is printed on the orange sleeve spine, means there were 14. before
this one. (T/KF)
Various Artists, "Pleasureland Revisited" ( $7.00 from Spasms
Cassettes, 504 W. 24th St. #87, Austin, TX 78705) Compilation of
groups consisting of ST37, A Childs Garden Of Sodom, Rudy
Schwartz Project, Niced, ZZ BAA, Thanatopsis, Throne, Commander
Cinque, Fab Nothingheads, Unsettled, Seemen, Moist Fist, Error, Ed
Hall, Pussy Churnin' Butter, and Fish'n Loaf. All of these bands are
so good that you just have to hear this comp 'cause it's really cool
(T/RS) 7
Various Artists, "Porkopolis: Noggin You in the Head" ($4 from
Porkopolis, PO Box 3529, Cinti., OH 45201) Yet another Porkopolis
tape, and though it seems there's an endless stream of these
compilations, they serve a great purpose in low price intros to a
lot of fine yet generally unknown bands. This tape features five
bands, opening with the highly active overdub beat/industrial dance
of Noggin Masters of the Universe, starting with a Zeppelin lift from
"Immigrant Song." Love Calvin does an incredible Iggy Pop vocal
take, and experimental strangeness, voice cut-ups, and odd pop is
provided by the Larry Mondello Band, 555, and Undercurrent.
(T/PMZ) __
Various Artists, "The Pre-Moon Syndrome Post-Summer (of
Noise) Celebration Week" ($8 in US or $10 all other countries from
Sun Dog Propaganda, PO Box 9743, Washington, DC 20016): This
live recording has the air of a heady time, giving just a clue what
a week it was at d.c. space, September 11-16, 1989. The Honeymoon
Killers, the Pagans, Unrest, the Reverb Motherfuckers all participate
in the inspired frenzy of stripped-down noisiness. Quieter surprises
are the defunct Go Team's "Slumberland Gods" (Self-described as
"Sandblast crash pop cut throat exclamation point wonder. Gone.")
and the Juliana Luecking Experience. Juliana's spoken word poetry
performance incorporates headline violence, a child's reader and
observations from the street, helping to round out what is essentially
a fine slice-of-time sampler. And it's for a good cause, benefitting
the Washington Free Clinic, an alternative health care center in DC
that counsels and tests for HIV. (LP/KF) _
Various Artists, "Sasquatch: The Man, The Myth, The Compila¬
tion" (Kirbdog Records, 2217 Nordyke Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403):
Victim's Family, Schlong, Moral Crux, Cringer, Nuisance and No
Means ^No all take turns on this double 7" release. It starts with a
hardcore/punk premise and then builds from there into a number
of different delivery styles. Take Nuisance, a heavy dirge-fusion
combo of lead guitar and thick industrial melodies. Or Victim's
Family with their jazz/punk "thang." Or Moral Crux, straight out
of the 70s hardcore, to name but a sampling. Well worth a listen.
(2EP/CG) _
Various Artists, "Search and Annoy Vol. 1" ($3.25 from Complex
Records, 131 N. 6th Ave., Highland Park, NJ 08904): A compilation
EP with a reasonably good mix. Lucy Brown's "Color-Blind" combines
a funky punch with lots of electric guitars. Loose gets off to a shaky
start with a riff that sounds swiped form the Jackson Five but also
comes together in the end. Punkier tracks from The Blisters and
Headstrong are al so included. (EP/MG) _
Various Artists, "Some Minutes" ($5 from Lola Fish Productions,
c/o Bruno Pommey, 36 Residence Jean Mace, 28300 Mainvilliers,
FRANCE): An odd, offbeat collection. Less a group of songs in the
traditional sense, and more a group of noises, sounds and
"songlettes" (little short electronically wired ditties) Take for example,
the piece that's comprised of a jackhammer, some vocals and an
emergency siren. Or the drugged, spaced out interpretation of "Heart
and Soul" (in French, with space gun noises, animal grunts and
more).. Or the gothic wind blowing and eerie whistling that faded
into an ominous silence. Definitely not your K-Tel top hits; this will
appeal to those w ho like to take a walk on the of fbeat side. (T/CS)
Various Artists, "Strange Damage: Surreal Highways of the
Mentally Uninsured" (blank tape from 366 Gridley Ct, San Jose, CA
95127) An off-center and off the cuff compilation of 62 'bands',
though in actuality a smaller subset of about 13 bands/individuals
in an incestuous set of fictitious and potentially real bands. The
music runs the range from simple silliness (in abundance) to early
Sonic Youth- like guitar jams, though much fumbling and stuttering
comes with these. A lot of strumming songs with messed vocals
color the tape, along with short keyboard noodling, and even a
child singing. A paste together zine describes the pieces and players,
and disconnected cut-up quotes. (T/PMZ)
Various Artists, "Tales from Estrus No. 1" ($5.95 from Estrus
Records, PO Box 2125 Bellingham, WA 98227) Dischordant guitar
noise opens this 1st Estrus Garage comp, as Night King gives a
good down and "Dirty Work" garage tune. Marble Orchard follows
with a smoother "No Way Home" with good spidery guitar work.
Monsters are the theme, and a comic booklet terrorizing members
of the PMRC is included; if side 1 isn't exactly monsterish, side 2,
labeled with a goon and opening with a scream, is. Ultra 5's organ
led "Hell" is a good 60's piece of pyschedelia with an almost Stooges
mood. The Mummies close with an ugly voiced silly 60's rock love
song. A good pac kage of garage rock. (7'7PMZ)
VEGETARIAN MEAT, "Meathouse" ($5.00 from Alex McAulay,
2024 E. Rahn Rd., Dayton, OH 45440) Backup music for this oddball
group centers around big band as well as harsh sounding keyboard
programs. Psychedelic patterns and rhythms float freely about the
naturally hardcore-ish vocals. Rather an interesting mixture of styles,
but quite effective. One is immediatly drawn in by such song titles
as, "Pig's Head O n A Stick" and "Squirrels In My Pumpkin". (T/RS)
VENUS BEADS, "Incision" (Emergo, 225 Lafayette St. #709, New
York, NY 10012): Thick guitar rock from British shores (Stoke-on-
Trent, actually). They feature an intense and complex sound
depending heavily on guitar interplay, plus rough and ready vocals
from Robert Jones, who has an attractive but certainly not beautiful
voice. An exquisite experience, definitely in the lush mode of the
FACTSHEET FIVE #42
Audio Reviews
121
best modem Brit i ndie rock/pop. (T/MG) _
VOICE CRACK, "Earflash" (Knut Redmond, Limmattalstr. 388,
Ch. 8049 Zurich/SWITZERLAND): Squealing metal spraying from the
amplifier. This is complex noise, connected with completely fried
patch cords to a distant Euro-disco past. One guy is credited as
providing "Big Drum, Dr. Rhythm", and he does, too. Intense, but
not too scary, it crackles and snaps and pulsates. Just try and dance
to it. (LP/KS) _
THE VOODOO DOLLS, "Bad Feeling" b/w "Gone, Gone, Gone"
(Stanton Park Records, PO Box 58, Newtonville, MA 02160) Still
maintaining their garage, retro '60's flavor, they move quite smoothly
through "Bad Feeling" with up-to-date guitar licks and vocals taken
from Elvis Costello's mouth before he had the chance to sing them.
"Gone, Gone, Gone" isn't quite as clean, but maintains the same
style. (45/RS) __
WANTON THOUGHT, self-titled ($5 from Boss Tuneage
Records, Aston Firs, Halton Fenside, Nr. Spilsby, Lines. PE23 5BD,
UK): Debut EP from a batch of Welsh hardcore folks. They play in
a melodic, rather posi-core faction, tearing down the barriers of life
with their chorus-soaked semi-anthemic music. None too spectacular,
but good reasonab le music. (EP/MG) _
MATT WILLIS, "Little Dinosaurs" ($7 CASH/MO from Box G2-06,
24700 McBean Pkwy., Valencia, CA 91355): Cute poppy music with
a sort of echoing, low-budget feel to it. The opening eponymous
theme song has a theatrical, horror movie quality to it, with raspy
vocals and minor key bits in the mostly-synthetic mix. From there
it's a moody mystical album, charming if a bit rough around the
edges. (T/MG)[MA # 1240] __
THE WIMPS, "Sacred Bull" ($5.95 from Ladyslipper, PO Box
3124-R, Durham, NC 27715): Cut poppy music with rather minimal
production and some pretty fun lyrics. They poke fun at sexism in
tunes like "Kissin' Makeup" and come down especially hard on the
drug war in "Don't Do Drugs". Plenty of keyboards, a bit of
trombone, guitars, lead to a pop sound without pressure, just music
to relax to and comtemplate with bits of humor to keep it from
being too heavy. ( T/MG)[MA# 1241] _
KEN WOLFF, "Lost At Sea" (Wolff Productions, PO Box 117,
Stirling City, CA 95978): A delightful synthesizer piece that mixes
its electronically generated tones with the sounds of the waves. It
comes with an illustrated booklet retelling the myth of Ceyx and
Alcyone, whose story the tape is structured around. Pretty, sad,
dancing, lulling; the emotions come in quick succession here, never
forced, always gen tle. (T/MG) __
WOODCHIPPER, "Bricklayer" (Tulpa Productions, PO Box 860,
Willimantic, CT 06226): A four-song EP of maniacal horn-laced punk
madness. They blast along withotu any clear idea of where they're
going (one wonders if any of these cuts were rehearsed at all) but
seem to have a lot of fun trying to get there. Thick slices of noise
with an occasional melody popping out only to be manhandled by
the trombone and sax lines. (EP/MG) _
WORKDOGS, "Haunted House of Love" ($19.95 for 6 mo. sub
from Vital Music Records, 81 Second Ave, NY, NY 10003) Workdogs
play unabashed white narrative blues as soulfully described by Rob
Kennedy on two takes of "Haunted House." The groove is slooow,
a minimal bass line connecting with tastefully open drumming, the
Bond side featuring the snakey guitar of Bond Bergland, while the
Malcolm side adding in the relaxed piano of Malcolm Riviera. Across
the two sides the story changes, in an aching, pained voice describing
first the burnt out physical house, then revealing the ghosts of
former lovers and users drifting there. A gutsy feeling, and a good
release from the Vital singles club. (45/PMZ) _
WRECKHOUSE, self titled (Beesham, 613 N. Broad St., Winston-
Salem, NC 27101) Rock with a "not so unusual" feel that makes
use of the same four piece lineup as most rock bands although a
cello does show up in "Thin Line". I'm just saying that there isn't
anything terribly different about these guys, but they do play great
stuff that will go over great in the world of college radio as it stands
today. __
THE WRETCHED ONES, "Goin' Down to the Bar" b/w "I'm
Troubled Within" (Dionys 
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